FoxyChess › Checkmates › Pillsbury's Mate
Pillsbury's Mate
A rook gives check down the open file in front of the castled king, while a bishop on the long diagonal covers the corner square. The king's own pieces block the rest.
How to spot it
When the pawn in front of a castled king has gone, a rook on that file plus a bishop on the long diagonal is often mate.
How it arises
The pawn in front of the castled king has been removed, often by a sacrifice on g7. A rook on the g-file gives check and a bishop on the long diagonal covers h8.
A worked example
1.Rg1#. With the g7 pawn gone, the rook's check along the file can't be met: the bishop on b2 covers h8, and f8 is blocked by Black's own rook.
How to defend against it
Don't let your g-pawn be removed while an enemy rook can reach the g-file, and challenge a bishop on the long diagonal early.
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