The Six-Move Mate

The game, move by move

Caro-Kann

1. 1. e4 King’s pawn
2. 1… c6 The Caro-Kann Black prepares d5 with a pawn rather than a piece — the solid answer to 1.e4, then and now, which is part of why this is worth watching.
3. 2. Nc3 A knight instead of a pawn White develops and leaves the pawn on e4 to be taken. This is the Two Knights Attack, and it is perfectly respectable.
4. 2… d5 The point of c6
5. 3. Nf3 The second knight out
6. 3… dxe4 Taking on e4 Black takes, which is the main line, and White is about to recapture with a piece.

The knight on e4

1. 4. Nxe4 Recaptured with the knight The knight lands on e4. From there it can reach d6 — and d6 is the square the game ends on, two moves from now.
2. 4… Nd7 A knight to d7 Developing towards the centre, and standing in front of his own queen. That is the second of the two things the mate needs.
3. 5. Qe2 The queen to e2 Onto the open file, which pins the pawn on e7 against the king. Nobody has castled, no piece is attacked, and Black is one move from being mated.

Smothered on d6

1. 5… Ngf6 The knight to f6 The most natural move in the position: it develops the last knight and hits the one on e4. It is also the last move of the game.
2. 6. Nd6# Checkmate The knight steps to d6. The pawn that would take it cannot legally move — it is pinned by the queen on e2 — and the queen that would take it is blocked by Black’s own knight on d7. A bishop, a queen, a knight and two pawns hold every other square. Six moves.