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The four move checkmate is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and it’s easy to use against beginning opponents who are unfamiliar with this technique. Because this move works best earlier on in the game, inexperienced chess players rarely have time to see it coming and are unable to prepare their defense strategies against it. Knowing this move is essential if you wish to defend your King properly against more experienced players.

The two main pieces in the four move checkmate are the Queen and the Bishop, the most adaptable and far reaching pieces on the board. If you catch your opponent using either of these two pieces early in the game, you can bet that they’re setting up for the checkmate. Although this move can be done in four moves, an experienced player may disguise the Checkmate with distracting pieces, like a magician using slight-of-hand to draw the attention away from the disappearing coin or scarf.

The Steps
1. Move your King’s pawn forward two squares. Wait for your opponent to move the King’s pawn forward two squares as well to begin the overall process.

2. Move the King Bishop to attack your opponent’s King Pawn. Assuming your opponent is unfamiliar with the move and does nothing to counter it, this move sets up the board for your Queen to attack next.

3. Move the Queen to attack the King Bishop Pawn. Their King will then be in check. If your opponent cannot defend against the attack, then you can easily move in for the kill.

4. Use the Queen to attack the King Bishop Pawn – and the game is yours!

The Counter
The four move checkmate only works when surprise is on your side, and it is incredibly easy to counter if you’re familiar with the technique. To defend against the four move checkmate, move your knight in front of the king bishop pawn, or simply move the king bishop pawn forward one square instead of two.

Watch it Done
Sometimes the best way to learn a technique is to watch how it’s performed on an actual game board. The following video can teach you how to accomplish the four move checkmate.