Dovetail Mate

Added to the checkmating “catalog” by Norwegian Grandmaster Jonathan Tisdall, this somewhat odd mate is fairly rare and most often comes about by an opposing player blundering during a long attacking combination. A Rook or a pawn is used to protect and defend the Queen, which checkmates the opposing King at the square on the opposing player’s second rank in the second or seventh files (b2, b7, g2, g7). In the game example below, a Rook is used similar to GM Tisdall (who used a Rook at c1 to checkmate Black at b7). Whether a Rook or a pawn, this is equally sufficient because it “really doesn’t matter how the [Q]ueen is supported, as long as it cannot be captured” and “the other Black pieces” blocking the opposing King’s other escape squares may be any except a Knight.
[Source: http://www.chesscity.com/ANALYSIS/Beginner/checkmate_patterns.htm)

 

 

Dovetail Mate-Barebones Mating Position

DIAGRAM DVTM-1A

Dovetail_Mate

 

 

DIAGRAM DVTM-1B – Game Example
               
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
               
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            Move: 
[you may click on a move notation to the right to jump to that move]
1.Nxf7+ Kf8
[1…Kf6 2.Qxd6+ Kxf7
(2…Qe6 3.Qxe6#)
3.Rf1+ Kg7 4.Qf6#]
2.Qxd6+ Kxf7 3.Rf1+ Kg7 4.Qf6# 

1-0   Platz-Rothman, New York 1945

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