Miguel Illescas: Lucenas mate

Knowledge of the basic mate structures is essential to improve your play. This article is intended to help players in the range 1600-2200 elo rating. Lucenas mate is frequently referred to as the "smothered mate", as the Knight is the piece that executes the last and mortal attack on the enemy King. XIIIIIIIIY 9rtr-+-+k+0 9+-+-+-zpp0 9-+Q+-+-+0 9+-+KsN-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9wq-+-+-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy The diagram features the position originally attributed to Lucena. White, with a huge material disadvantage, must act fast and convincingly. The combination is based on the connection of a very precise series of checks: 1.De6 Kh8 Black`s King prefers the corner as after 1...Kf8 2.Df7# a typical mate appears on the board, commonly known as the "kiss mate ", after the suffocating hug and lethal kiss that the King receives from the enemy Queen. 2.Sf7 Kg8 3.Sh6! This double check is crucial and definitely essential to achieve the mate that follows. An important factor that must be taken into account is that the check is delivered with two pieces, which means that even if the Queen is threatened it will still be a valid check. 3...Kh8 The King returns to the theoretical safety of the corner, reaching the critical moment of the combination. White could repeat moves and achieve a draw with 4. Sf7 but instead he seeks and finds something better. 4.Dg8!! A beautiful sacrifice which Black is forced to accept. The black Rook is forced to stand next to his King, blocking out his only escaping square. 4...Tg8 5.Sf7# And the Knight ends the sequence of checks producing a mate based on blockade: the rook and pawns make up the coffin of the dead King. FIDE SURVEYS Miguel Illescas

One of the oldest examples of this mate can be found in Grecos chess book. Although it doesnt form part of this articles theme, I offer some light commentary of the opening. NN (unknown) : Greco G. Europe 1620 1.e4 e5 2.Sf3 Sc6 3.Lc4 Lc5 4.00 Sf6 5.Te1 00 6.c3 De7?! Long gone are the days in which the opening could be played in such a carefree way! Nowadays we know that Grecos move is weak, and that the best way to answer Whites innocent opening is with the small combination initiated by 6...Se4!? If then 7.d4 ed4 8.cd4 Lb4 9.Te4 d5, Black recovers the material and achieves an excellent position. The consolidation of the center with 6...d6 would also be good and strategically sound. The advance 7.d4 would be answered by 7...Lb6, maintaining instead an important pawn on e5. 7.d4 ed4? Again, better was 7...Lb6, holding the center and giving the previous Queen move some sense. 8.e5?! White complicates his life unnecessarily. After the normal 8.cd4 White would have a huge advantage, for example: 8...Lb4 9.Sc3 and if 9...Lc3 10.bc3 Se4? 11.Dc2, winning. 8...Sg4 XIIIIIIIIY 9r+l+-trk+0 9zppzppwqpzpp0 9-+n+-+-+0 9+-vl-zP-+-0 9-+Lzp-+n+0 9+-zP-+N+-0 9PzP-+-zPPzP0 9tRNvLQtR-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 9.cxd4? However, and this is why chess is fascinating, this natural move is now a big mistake as Black will now demonstrate relentlessly. In any case, things were not so easy now, as after the sharp alternative 9.Lg5 Black has the hidden combination: 9...dc3! 10.Le7 Lf2 11.Kf1 cb2 12.Sc3 Le1! emerging from the mess with a material advantage. Because of this, in order to preserve the initiative, White should have inserted 9.b4! Lb6 and only now 10.Lg5! No doubt, this is a subtlety that was
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completely out of the range of Grecos opponents, who were quite weak in general. But now, the great Calabrian offers us a splendid combination. 9...Sd4! 10.Sd4 Dh4 XIIIIIIIIY 9r+l+-trk+0 9zppzpp+pzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-vl-zP-+-0 9-+LsN-+nwq0 9+-+-+-+-0 9PzP-+-zPPzP0 9tRNvLQtR-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy The simultaneous attack on two vital squares of the castled King fully justify the sacrificed piece. 11.Sf3? Better was 11.Le3, although after 11...Dh2 12.Kf1 Dh1 13.Ke2 Dg2 Black gets a strong attack in return. After the mistake made in the game, the Lucena mate can be delivered elegantly. 11...Df2 12.Kh1 Dg1! 13.Sg1 Sf2#. The best players in the world have always had this mate in their tactical arsenal. Here is a game of the legendary North American champion Paul Morphy, playing on home soil when he was only twelve years old. Mac Connel J. : Morphy P. New Orleans 1849 XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-wq-trk+0 9zp-+-+-+-0 9-+-+l+-zp0 9+-+p+pzp-0 9-+Psnnzp-+0 9+-+Q+-+-0 9PzPLsN-+PzP0 9tR-vL-+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 18...Db6 Without a doubt Morphy wanted to finish off the game in great style. Therefore he prepares the knight jump to f3, but his opponent protects himself by moving away his king, and Black has to end the game in a rather mundane way. 19.Kh1 Sc2 20.Dc2 Sf2

XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-+-trk+0 9zp-+-+-+-0 9-wq-+l+-zp0 9+-+p+pzp-0 9-+P+-zp-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9PzPQsN-snPzP0 9tR-vL-+R+K0 xiiiiiiiiy 21.Kg1 Obviously 21.Tf2 Df2, was also possible although Black's advantage would be overwhelming. In addition to his material superiority he would have a decisive advantage in development. The exchange sacrifice is only feasible, as in this case, when a rook controls the check on f2 (or f7), although the compensation is normally inadequate. The well-known mating pattern is easily detected now. 21...Sh3 22.Kh1 Dg1 23.Tg1 Sf2# Up to now everything seems clear but one has to be careful with illusions! In the next game, Black a young Polish man who years later would become a Grand Master though that he could finish off a good game with a fantastic culmination, in pure Lucena style. Ravi T. : Gdanski J. World under 16, Rio Gallegos 1986 XIIIIIIIIY 9r+l+k+-tr0 9+-wq-+pzpp0 9p+-vl-sn-+0 9+-zp-zpP+-0 9Pzp-+P+-+0 9+-zPLvL-+-0 9-zP-+N+PzP0 9tR-+Q+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 14...c4! 15.Lc4 Lc5! White is about to lose a piece, so therefore he tries to leave the black King in an uncomfortable situation in the middle of the board. 16.Lf7 Kf7 17.Db3 Ke7 18.Lc5?! Slightly better was 18.cb4 although after 18...Le3 19.De3 Black has 19...Da7!, with a favorable ending in which White's pawns will offer good compensation for the sacrificed piece, although in reality they are quite weak. 18...Dc5 19.Kh1 Se4?! There was really no need to be so greedy, but I think that Black already had the Lucena mate in mind.
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FIDE SURVEYS Miguel Illescas

The simple 19...Tb8 would have kept the center closed and Black's King would have been completely safe. XIIIIIIIIY 9r+l+-+-tr0 9+-+-mk-zpp0 9p+-+-+-+0 9+-wq-zpP+-0 9PzP-+n+-+0 9+Q+-+-+-0 9-zP-+N+PzP0 9tR-+-+R+K0 xiiiiiiiiy 20.cb4 Gdansky considers that the moment to initiate the decisive combination has arrived, but his next move throws away any advantage he may have attained. 20...Sf2? Controlling the game with the precise 20...Tb8! was necessary. 21.Kg1! Sh3 22.Kh1 Dg1?? It's obvious that move repetition with 22...Sf2 was the correct idea, and the game would have headed towards a draw, but the Polish representative was still fascinated by the mating idea. XIIIIIIIIY 9r+l+-+-tr0 9+-+-mk-zpp0 9p+-+-+-+0 9+-+-zpP+-0 9PzP-+-+-+0 9+Q+-+-+n0 9-zP-+N+PzP0 9tR-+-+RwqK0 xiiiiiiiiy 23.Sg1! 1:0. As an off-topic, the computer program Rybka, several times world champion, has been disqualified by the competent organism, accused of copying the code of other programs without giving the corresponding credit. Be that as it may, the author of Rybka is still a strong over-the-board player. We shall use one of his games to illustrate an example which is similar to the previous one, but that has an important difference that allows an acrobatic queen sacrifice in order to achieve a successful checkmate.

Szieberth A. : Rajlich V. Budapest 2001 XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-trk+0 9zpp+-+pvl-0 9-+-+-+p+0 9+-vL-+q+-0 9-sn-+-+-+0 9+-sN-+-+-0 9PzP-tr-+-+0 9mK-tR-+-wQR0 xiiiiiiiiy 31...Sc2 32.Kb1 Sa3 33.Ka1 The sequence of checks that takes us to the moment of truth. 33...Db1! 0:1. XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-trk+0 9zpp+-+pvl-0 9-+-+-+p+0 9+-vL-+-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9sn-sN-+-+-0 9PzP-tr-+-+0 9mKqtR-+-wQR0 xiiiiiiiiy Here it is! The fundamental difference is that after 34.Sb1 Lb2 is mate. Surprisingly, the following year the same main character received mate instead of giving it. We shall use this example to summarize step by step the mechanics of the Lucena mate, before we examine some more complex situations. Rajlich V. : Horvath C. Budapest 2002 On this occasion the mating sequence is clean, with no added elements. XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-+-+k+0 9+p+-+rzpp0 9pzPqzPQ+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9P+-+n+-+0 9sN-+-+p+-0 9-+-+-+PzP0 9tR-+R+-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 31...Dc5 First: the Queen occupies the critical diagonal, sending the enemy King to the corner. 32.Kh1 Sf2 Second: the Knight commences his mortal dance.
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FIDE SURVEYS Miguel Illescas

33.Kg1 Sh3 Third: the fundamental double check with Queen and Knight is delivered. XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-+-+k+0 9+p+-+rzpp0 9pzP-zPQ+-+0 9+-wq-+-+-0 9P+-+-+-+0 9sN-+-+p+n0 9-+-+-+PzP0 9tR-+R+-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 34.Kh1 Dg1! 0:1. And fourth: attraction and blockading sacrifice. Only the mate is left, if our opponent allows us of course. Let us now consider some games between players of a higher level in which the Lucena mate made its appearance in some way or another. Pay attention to the following piece constellation, as it allows a very long combination that ends in a forced mate. Biliy V. : Vovk Y. Alushta, 2006 XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-tr-+-mk0 9zp-tR-+Q+-0 9-+-+pzp-zp0 9zp-+-zPl+-0 9-vl-zp-zPn+0 9+L+-+R+-0 9PzP-+q+PzP0 9tr-+-+-sNK0 xiiiiiiiiy 34...Tg1! 35.Kg1 De1 36.Tf1 De3 37.Kh1 Sf2 XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-tr-+-mk0 9zp-tR-+Q+-0 9-+-+pzp-zp0 9zp-+-zPl+-0 9-vl-zp-zP-+0 9+L+-wq-+-0 9PzP-+-snPzP0 9+-+-+R+K0 xiiiiiiiiy 38.Kg1 The weakness of the back rank is a key factor in this combination as it invalidates the capture of the Knight as a possible defense. 38...Sh3 39.Kh1 Dg1 40.Tg1 Sf2#.

In the next game, Black, a strong North American master, fell victim to a more refined version of the Lucena mate. Benko P. : Horowitz I. USA Ch, New York 1968 XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-wq-trk+0 9+p+-vlpzpp0 9-+-+-sn-+0 9zp-snpsNl+-0 9-+-wQ-+-+0 9zPPsN-+-zP-0 9-vL-+PzPLzP0 9tR-+-+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy White starts a long distance attacking combination, including the sacrifice of the rook on a1. 14.Sd5! Sb3 15.Df4! Sd5? Black accepts the challenge, although it would have been safer to proceed with 15...Le6. Now, the black King falls under the combined attack of the enemy Queen and Knights, supported from behind by the bishops. 16.Df5 Sa1 XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-wq-trk+0 9+p+-vlpzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9zp-+nsNQ+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9zP-+-+-zP-0 9-vL-+PzPLzP0 9sn-+-+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 17.Sf7! Black probably expected 17.La1 Sf6 18.Lb7 La3 with a reasonable position. 17...Dc8 Trying to save face, as after 17...Tf7 18.Ld5 White's advantage would be decisive thanks to the action of the bishop. XIIIIIIIIY 9r+q+-trk+0 9+p+-vlNzpp0 9-+-+-+-+0 9zp-+n+Q+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9zP-+-+-zP-0 9-vL-+PzPLzP0 9sn-+-+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 18.Sh6!

FIDE SURVEYS Miguel Illescas

An original attacking idea, taking advantage of the strength of the other bishop. The knight can't be captured. 18...Kh8 19.Dd5 Black's position is lost but his next move allows an unexpected ending. 19...Sc2 20.Dg8! 1:0. Once again the sacrifice appears although this time the preparation has been quite different. The next example involves two strong Grand Masters. Black becomes confused after a sudden attack against his Queen and forgets about the safety of his King for a moment. Bischoff K. : Mueller K. German Championhip 2004 XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-+-+k+0 9+-+-+pzpp0 9p+-sNlsn-+0 9+-zPp+-+-0 9-+-zP-+-+0 9wqLwQ-+-+P0 9P+-+-+P+0 9mK-+-tR-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy 29.Te3! Td8? 30.De1! Black was planning on sacrificing the exchange in order to eliminate the annoying enemy knight, but we shall see how White's last two moves have woven a net around his opponent's Queen. 30...Tb8? Indeed, after the projected 30...Td6 31.Lc2! would follow and the black queen would be trapped, but the game move is another calculation mistake. XIIIIIIIIY 9-tr-+-+k+0 9+-+-+pzpp0 9p+-sNlsn-+0 9+-zPp+-+-0 9-+-zP-+-+0 9wqL+-tR-+P0 9P+-+-+P+0 9mK-+-wQ-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy 31.Te6! fe6 After 31...Tb3 32.Te8 Black receives mate on the back rank. After the capture of the white rook the game ends quickly in a way that we already know quite well. 32.De6 Kh8 33.Sf7 Kg8 34.Sh6 Kh8 35.Dg8 Sg8 36.Sf7#. FIDE SURVEYS Miguel Illescas

We shall finalize this article with a curious example that also features two very strong players. What makes this game remarkable is the originality of the mating construction and the fact that both white knights try to deliver the check mate! The first knight didn't make it but the second one did! Akopian V. : Piskov Y. Uzhgorod 1988 XIIIIIIIIY 9-tr-+-trk+0 9+lwq-sn-zpp0 9p+-vl-+-+0 9+-+psNp+-0 9P+pzP-+-+0 9+-+-+-vLQ0 9-+P+-zPPzP0 9+R+-tRNmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 21...f4 22.De6! The strong Armenian player judges correctly that after 22.Lh4 Sf5 23.c3 Lc8 Black would have the advantage due to the bad position of the white queen and bishop. Therefore he decides to exchange two pieces for a rook and a pawn. 22...Kh8 23.Sf7 Tf7 Black's rook neutralizes White's first assault with the cavalry after which the position is quite equal. In any case, it is a very fragile dynamic equilibrium which demands very precise play by both players. 24.Df7 fg3 25.Sg3 Tg8? Black's first mistake arrives quickly, with this passive move. He should have opened a window with 25...g6 or 25...h6. The punishment will be severe. XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-+rmk0 9+lwq-snQzpp0 9p+-vl-+-+0 9+-+p+-+-0 9P+pzP-+-+0 9+-+-+-sN-0 9-+P+-zPPzP0 9+R+-tR-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 26.Te7! Le7 27.Sf5 Df4? White has recovered material with interest, but the black queen's journey hasn't brought anything good. 28.g3! Df3 29.Tb7 Lf6 30.Sh6! The X-ray attack by White's queen-rook duo along the seventh rank pressures h7, allowing this elegant knight jump. 30...Ta8 31.Dg8! and Black resigned.