Fool's mate
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Can White do a fool's mate ??
Mar 24, 2018
0
#2
No. Fool's mate is mate in two moves and can only be achieved by black.
The fastest mate for white is three moves, something like:
Both this mate and Fool's mate require unbelievably bad moves by the losing side. This is why the first one is called Fool's mate.
However, it is also worth knowing about Scholar's mate:
I think it is worth looking at Scholar's Mate, certainly when starting out to learn chess. Because the moves that white plays are all good moves. Ok, black's moves are not perfect but not the moves of a fool. Let's be kind and say, Nf6 is an oversight. This is interesting though because one way to win a game is to attack f7 as quickly as possible. When white has this plan he brings as many pieces as quickly as he can to bear on f7. It is the idea behind the opening King's Gambit. You can win lots of games this way against beginners.
Of course, as you start playing better people, the direct attack on f7 might not work so well. You may find your attack being thwarted and end up in a position where white has a lead in development. Therefore, at a more advanced level white does not normally start with such a concerted attack on f7. In fact, at high level chess the aim is normally not (at first) to checkmate at all. That comes later of course. But often the aim is to win material or obtain a lead in development, or more active pieces. That is the beauty of chess.
Mar 24, 2018
0
#3
corum wrote:The fastest mate for white is three moves, something like:
Or like this:
Mar 24, 2018
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#4
yep - that's also a nice one.
Black has two play two moves to be mated which is why white cannot mate in 2.
Mar 24, 2018
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#6
There is one quick mate that actually requires a lot of thinking - and moves - to avoid. I don't remember which one it is.
Legals mate is personally the only one I like.
Mar 25, 2018
0
#8
With_every_step wrote:
corum wrote:
I think it is worth looking at Scholar's Mate, certainly when starting out to learn chess. Because the moves that white plays are all good moves.
This might mislead. They are acceptable moves, however if Black defends against mate then White risks giving Black a relatively advantageous position. This even in comparison to more conventional openings.
You hint towards that later, however this phrasing seemed too strong.
I take your point. As you say, though, I do later say that this direct approach is probably not the best. What I was really thinking was that if a player was rated, say, 600 or 800 and was playing a similarly rated player then playing e4, Qh5 and Bc4 is not a bad way to start the game and start to think about at least having a focus for the attack so that the moves made can be coherent. At higher levels I certainly would not recommend 2. Qh5 