Légal’s Checkmate

Légal’s Checkmate

What is the légal’s mate?

The Légal’s Mate is a chess checkmate pattern that is characterized by the trapping of the enemy king by a queen and a bishop, with the queen attacking from the side and the bishop pinning the king in place. The pattern was named after the French chess player, Sire de Légal, who is said to have been the first to use this pattern in a game.

What is the history of the légal’s mate?

The history of Légal’s Mate can be traced back to the 18th century, where it was first recorded in the chess literature. The pattern is considered to be a classic chess pattern and it’s not considered a standard tactic in chess. However, it’s a unique way of checkmating the king that is worth knowing for the sake of completeness.

How to execute the légal’s mate?

The key to successfully executing Légal’s Mate is the coordination of the queen and the bishop to trap the enemy king. The queen is responsible for attacking the enemy king from the side, while the bishop pins the king in place, creating a mating threat. The queen and bishop work together to create a powerful attacking force that can quickly overwhelm the enemy’s defenses.

How to set up the légal’s mate?

In order to set up Légal’s Mate, the queen should be placed on the shoulder of the enemy king, attacking it from the side, while the bishop should be placed in such a way that it pins the king, creating a mating threat. The king’s position should be such that it has no other move than to move to a corner where it can be checkmated by the queen and the bishop.