OPENING TRAP
Scholar's Mate: Queen and bishop pick on f7 for mate in four
The Scholar's Mate is a trap in the King's Pawn Game. Queen and bishop pick on f7 for mate in four. Checkmate on move 4. Black never guarded f7.
The moves
1. e4 e5 2. Qh5 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Qxf7#
The final position is checkmate.
- 1. e4 Open the diagonals for your queen and your bishop.
- 1... e5 Black copies your move. Nothing unusual yet.
- 2. Qh5 Your queen comes out early. It eyes the e5 pawn and, more importantly, the f7 square.
- 2... Nc6 Black defends e5 but does not think about f7.
- 3. Bc4 Now the bishop joins in. Queen and bishop both aim at f7, which only the king guards.
- 3... Nf6 Black attacks your queen, but leaves f7 to its fate.
- 4. Qxf7# Qxf7 is checkmate. The bishop protects the queen, so the king cannot capture it, and every escape square is covered.
How to avoid it
As Black, guard f7 in time. After 3.Bc4, the move 3...g6 kicks the queen away.
Practise it
In Trap Academy you watch this lesson, then play the White side yourself against the replies of the trap. This trap is free.
Add to Chrome — freeFrequently asked questions
What is the Scholar's Mate?
- Queen and bishop pick on f7 for mate in four. It arises in the King's Pawn Game. Checkmate on move 4. Black never guarded f7.
How do you avoid the Scholar's Mate?
- As Black, guard f7 in time. After 3.Bc4, the move 3...g6 kicks the queen away.