ChessThe Arabian mate is when the king is in the corner, the rook gives check right next to it, and the knight stands diagonally behind, protecting the rook and covering the last free square. One story says it already appears in old Arabic chess books, from a time when the queen and bishop were still weak pieces and the rook and knight did the heavy lifting, so this mate came up a lot. Today it's just as useful when you play free chess online.
The pattern
The black king is on h8, with only three squares next to it:
- h7: the white rook is here, but the knight on f6 protects it, so the king can't take it.
- g7: on the same rank as the rook, so the rook covers it.
- g8: controlled by the white knight on f6.
All three squares are sealed, and Black can't take the rook. Checkmate. Remember the knight's spot: from f6 it protects h7 and controls g8 at the same time, which is how just two pieces can seal the corner.
How it happens in real games
In real games the rook is often already on the 7th rank, and all that's missing is driving the king into the corner. A knight check is the best way to do it:
Why can the black king only go to h8?
- f8 holds its own bishop.
- g7 and f7 are covered by the white rook on d7.
- h8 is the only empty square.
Black can't capture the knight on f6 either: the g-pawn has already moved to g6, so it can't take diagonally on f6, and the bishop on f8 moves only diagonally and can't reach it. Once the king is on h8, the rook takes on h7 and we have the shape above. A rook on the 7th rank is strong already. Add a knight here, and it mates the king outright.
How to avoid it
- Watch out for an enemy rook on your 7th rank (2nd for White). From there it keeps threatening your pawns and the squares next to your king.
- Keep an eye on f6 (f3 for White). Once an enemy knight lands there, g8 and h7 are both in danger. While your g-pawn is still on g7, it can take a knight that jumps to f6.
- Don't let your king get driven into the corner. A king in the corner has only three squares, making it the easiest to seal off with two pieces.
- Keep a rook on the back rank or 7th rank on guard. A piece that can block or take the enemy rook breaks up this mate.
Practice puzzles
Show answer
1. Rxh7# The rook goes up the h-file and takes the pawn on h7 with check, protected by the knight on f6. g8 is covered by the knight and g7 by the rook. Checkmate.
Show answer
1. Rxg8# The white rook takes the black rook on g8 with check, protected by the knight on f6. h7 holds Black's own pawn, and g7 is covered by the rook. The black king can't take the rook. Checkmate.
Show answer
1... Rxh2# The black rook takes the pawn on h2 with check, protected by the knight on f3. g1 is covered by the knight and g2 by the rook. The white king is trapped in the corner. Checkmate.
FAQ
Does the Arabian mate have to happen in the corner?
Almost always. A king in the corner has only three squares, which a rook and knight can just cover. Anywhere else the king has too many squares around it for two pieces to seal off.
Does the knight have to be on f6?
With the black king on h8, yes. f6 is the only square that both protects the rook on h7 and controls g8. In other corners it's the matching square, for example f3 when the white king is on h1.
How do I tell the Arabian mate from Anastasia's mate?
In the Arabian mate the rook checks right next to the king and the knight protects the rook. In Anastasia's mate the king is on h7, the knight on e7 seals the exits, and the rook checks from far away down the h-file.
Try it yourself
The Arabian mate is a very handy shape in the endgame, whenever you still have a rook and a knight. Go back to checkmate patterns for the other two-piece mates, or review the fork to get a better feel for the knight. When you're ready, play chess for free and try driving the enemy king into the corner.