# Model mate

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Model_mate
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Model_mate.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_mate
> Source revision: 1356319673
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Special checkmate position}}
In [chess](/source/chess), a '''model mate''' is a type of [pure mate](/source/pure_mate) [checkmating](/source/checkmate) position in which:
* the checkmated [king](/source/king_(chess)) and all vacant squares in its field are attacked only once;
* squares in the king's field occupied by friendly units are not also attacked by the mating side (unless such a unit is necessarily [pinned](/source/pin_(chess)) to the king); and
* all units of the mating side (with the possible exception of the king and [pawns](/source/pawn_(chess))) participate actively in forming the mating net.

Model mates are extremely rare in practical play, but they add value to [chess problem](/source/chess_problem)s as they are considered artistic. In fact, they form the basis of the so-called [Bohemian school](/source/Chess_composer) of chess composition, most fruitful in threemovers and [moremover](/source/moremover)s. Model mates are very usual in helpmates and they appear often in [selfmate](/source/selfmate)s too.
{{AN chess|pos=toc}}

==Examples==
{{Chess diagram
| floatleft
| Miroslav Havel <br />1st Prize, ''Zlata Praha'' 1910
|  |  |  |  |  |  |ql|
|  |  |  |  |  |rl|  |
|  |  |  |  |  |pd|  |
|  |  |  |  |pd|kd|  |
|kl|  |  |  |  |  |nl|
|  |  |  |  |bl|  |  |
|  |  |  |nd|  |  |  |
|  |  |nd|  |  |  |  |
|Mate in three moves
}}
<br />This example shows a problem by Miroslav Havel. The {{chessprobgloss|key}} '''1. Bc5{{chesspunc|!!}}''' gives a flight square for the black king and threatens 2.Rxf6+ Ke4 3.Nf2{{chessAN|#}} with a model mate. The main variations end with model mates from white batteries:
:{{pad}}'''1... Kf4 2. Nxf6''' (threat 3.Qg4#) '''2... e4 3. Nd7#''', and
:{{pad}}'''1... Ke4 2. Nf2+ Kd5 3. Rc7#'''

There are several other variations (after 1...Ne4 and 1...Ke6), which do not end with model mates, and allow for multiple continuations. In the Bohemian school they are irrelevant, as long as they end with a mate in a prescribed number of moves.
{{clear}}

{{Chess diagram
| floatleft
| Michal Dragoun <br />''Phénix'' 1993
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |kl|  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |nl|  |  |rl
|  |  |  |kd|rd|  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|Helpmate in two moves (h#2), two solutions
}}
<br />This example shows a [helpmate](/source/helpmate), in which both sides cooperate to achieve a mate to the black king. It has two solutions ending in model mates (Black moves first in helpmates):
:{{pad}}'''1. Re3 Ke6 2. Ke4 Rh4#''', and
:{{pad}}'''1. Kc5 Kc7 2. Rc4 Nc6#'''

If all units of both colours are involved in a model mate, then it is an ''[ideal mate](/source/ideal_mate)''. Both mates in the presented helpmate are ideal mates.
{{clear}}

==See also==
* [Chess problem terminology](/source/Chess_problem_terminology)
* [Genrikh Kasparyan](/source/Genrikh_Kasparyan)
* [Piotr Ruszczyński](/source/Andrzej_Piotr_Ruszczy%C5%84ski)
* [Mating net](/source/Mating_net)

==References==
*{{cite book| contribution = model mate
 | title = [The Oxford Companion to Chess](/source/The_Oxford_Companion_to_Chess)
 | last1 = Hooper | first1 = David
 | last2 = Whyld | first2 = Kenneth
 | author1-link = David Vincent Hooper
 | author2-link = Ken Whyld
 | year = 1996
 | edition = 2nd
 | orig-year = First pub. 1992
 | publisher = [Oxford University Press](/source/Oxford_University_Press)
 | page = 262
 | isbn = 0-19-280049-3
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Model Mate}}
Category:Chess checkmates
Category:Chess problems

{{Chess-stub}}

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Model mate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_mate) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_mate?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.