Anastasia's Mate

A knight and a heavy piece trap the enemy king on the edge of the board, often after an h-file attack.

A knight and a rook (or queen) trap the enemy king on the edge of the board. The knight covers the escape squares immediately next to the king's defending pawn, while the heavy piece delivers mate along the open file.

Starting position

For experienced players

Anastasia’s Mate is the natural finish of many h-file attacks where the knight has come via g5 and the queen or rook lifts to the h-file, often initiated by a stunning queen sacrifice on h7.