FoxyChess › Checkmates › Vuković Mate
Vuković Mate
A rook checks the king on the edge of the board and is protected by a pawn (or the king). A knight covers the last escape squares. It is named after the Croatian chess writer Vladimir Vuković.
How to spot it
When the enemy king is on the edge, look for a protected rook check with a knight nearby to cover the corners.
How it arises
A rook checks a king on the edge, protected by a pawn, while a knight covers the escape squares on the other side. It is a close cousin of the hook mate and appears in endgames where one side still has a knight and an advanced pawn.
A worked example
1.Re7#. The pawn on d6 protects the rook, the knight on e6 covers d8 and f8, and the rook covers d7 and f7.
How to defend against it
An enemy knight and pawn standing side by side near your king on the edge are the warning. Move the king towards the centre, or exchange the knight.
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