Page:Collier's Cyclopedia of Commercial and Social Information.djvu/450

420 the mate within the stipulated fifty moves. The only way in which it can be done is by driving the adverse king to a corner commanded by your bishop. The better to convey our meaning, we give an illustration. Suppose the men to be placed thus:

Then, in eighteen moves, white may effect checkmate:

As will be observed from the above example, one of the important objects is never to let the king escape into the middle of the board.

In our chapter on checkmate we should not omit to give the "Fool's Mate" and the "Scholar's Mate."

The former shows that it is possible to effect mate in as few as two moves. It is easy to understand why it should be named the "fool's mate" but why a checkmate which may be effected in four moves should be termed "scholar's mate" is probably less capable of explanation.

Fool's Mate.—

Scholar's Mate.—

King and Queen against King,—Several examples of this checkmate might be given, but the one below will probably be sufficient. The principal point upon which the learner need be warned is against allowing his adversary, to effect stalemate, Suppose the pieces to be placed thus: White king at K. sq.

queen at Q. B. sq.

Black king at Q. 3.

The game may then proceed as follows:

King and Queen against King and Rook.—Sappose the mento be placed thus:

White king at K. B. 3. queen at K. sq. Black king at K. R.7.

rook, at K. Kt. 7

supposing white to have the first move, the game may be completed in three moves:

The following problems are, selected from various sources and are given because they are just sufficiently difficult to exercise the ingenuity of the learner. At the same time would caution him against too close a study of problems until he is well up in the game, for, if followed up, it will only tend throw up the game with dislike.