With the growing popularity of Chess, we wanted to introduce beginner players out there 3 fast checkmate traps to try on your opponents and to also prevent yourself from falling for these tricks in your games. All these checkmates are very easy to learn and consist of up to only 4 moves. So saddle up and continue reading for those quick wins in your next Chess matches! Also these traps won’t work unless you have a chessboard. We recommend our gambit’s chess board which is handcrafted with real wood that is great for friends and family!
1. Fool's Mate
This opening strategy is the fastest and oldest trick in the book. The fool’s mate allows you to checkmate your opponent's king in just 2 moves! You would have finished the game before your opponent even realizes what had just happened!
The Fool’s Mate can only be performed with the following sequence and you are playing as black. The game starts with white moving the G2 pawn to G4. Black will respond with the E7 pawn to E5. This will allow you to control one of the center squares and open up diagonals for your queen and bishop.
Next, white will move the F2 pawn to F3 which will leave white’s king exposed. Black will follow up with queen to H4 checkmating the white King in 2 moves! The black king cannot block or escape to any other square!
2. Scholar’s Mate
Almost all beginners will fall for this cheap tactic called the Scholar’s Mate. If you ask any Chess player, they will tell you that they have fallen for this one in the past. If you watched Netflix’s Queen's Gambit, you would know that Beth Harmon has fallen for this trap the very first game she played. In order to not fall for this one, come try out our crystal glass chess set. It features durable pieces, scratch proof, and makes perfect decoration. With these clear chess pieces, you can see right through your opponent!
The first move starts with white’s E2 pawn to E4. Black will follow up with pawn E7 to E5.
The second move follows with white king side bishop from F1 to C4. Black’s kingside bishop moves from F8 to C5.
The third move consists of white’s queen moving from D1 to H5. Black then responds with the king's knight from G8 to F6.
This trap is effectively set as there are no viable moves for black to prevent a checkmate. White’s queen just needs to capture black’s F7 pawn. Checkmate.
3. Smothered Checkmate
Here is another quick trap to take your opponent’s king in 4 moves. You must be playing as black. The game starts with white moving E2 pawn to E4. Black then advances E7 pawn to E5.
The second step is white moving king side knight from G1 to E2. Black should follow up with the king side knight from B8 to C6.
The third move begins with white moving queen side knight from b1 to c3. Black follows by trapping the white king by moving the knight on C6 to D4.
White will move G2 pawn to G3 as a basic development. To top it all off, black will move knight from D4 to F3 giving a checkmate!
With these 3 simple and fast traps, you will certainly get more wins in your next games! If you want to win your next games with style, come check out our collection of chess sets and other board games at Gambit Games. Our collection is made out of high quality materials with aesthetically pleasing looks.