FoxyChess › Checkmates › Boden's Mate
Boden's Mate
Two bishops on criss-crossing diagonals mate a king that has castled queenside. The king is hemmed in by its own pieces, often a rook and knight, and the bishops cover every remaining square.
How to spot it
Against a queenside-castled king with blocked squares beside it, look for a queen sacrifice on c6 or b7 that opens the diagonal for a bishop.
How it arises
Against a king that has castled queenside. A queen sacrifice on c6 (or c3) opens the diagonal for one bishop while the other already covers the king's squares on the long diagonal.
A worked example
1.Qxc6+! bxc6 2.Ba6#. The bishop on f4 covers b8 and c7, the bishop on a6 covers b7, and the king's own pieces block d7 and d8.
How to defend against it
After castling long, keep the c-pawn and the b-pawn where they are, and don't block the squares beside the king with your own pieces. A bishop aimed at c7 from f4 is the warning sign.
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