Page 46 - chess-training-guide SK INDERA SHAH BANDAR_Neat

Lesson 21

Lesson Goals:

 Back rank checkmate
 Pattern recognition

The back rank checkmate traps is one of the most frequent that beginner players fall into. Even more
experienced chess players sometimes forget about it.

th
We refer to the “back rank problem” when the limitation of the chessboard, the 8 rank for Black and the
st
1 rank for White causes one side to get checkmated.

Here is the most basic illustration of it.
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+k+(

7+-+-+pzpp'
6-+-+-+-+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$

3+-+-+-+P#
2q+-+-zPP+"
1+-+R+-mK-!
xabcdefghy
In the above position, White can checkmate with 1.Rd8 because the Black Pawns in front of the King
th
don’t allow the King move up to the seventh rank and since there is no 9 rank on the chessboard, the
Black King has no escape.

If it would have been Black’s turn in this same position, one of the defenses would be 1…h6 “opening a
door” for the King to escape after 1.Rd8+ with 1…Kh7. Another method of defense would be 1…Qa5,
protecting the critical d8 square.
XABCDEFGHY
8q+-+-+k+(
7+-+-+pzp-'
6-+-+p+-zp&

5+-+-+-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+Q+-+-zP-#
2-+-+PzP-zP"

1+-+-+K+-!
xabcdefghy

SPF Chess Training Program for Teachers © Page 46 4/19/2014