Tactics · Learn
Boden's Mate
Boden's Mate is delivered by two bishops on criss-crossing diagonals, catching a king (usually one that has castled queenside) whose escape squares are blocked by its own pieces. The famous finish is a queen sacrifice to open the second diagonal, then Bxa6# / Ba3#.
How to spot it: when the enemy king sits behind its own pawns/pieces on c8 or c1, check whether two bishops rake the a2–g8 and a4–e8 (or mirror) diagonals: a sacrifice to clear the way can be mate.
How to spot it: when the enemy king sits behind its own pawns/pieces on c8 or c1, check whether two bishops rake the a2–g8 and a4–e8 (or mirror) diagonals: a sacrifice to clear the way can be mate.
Now spot it yourself
A real position: find the move. This is exactly what the drills in the app do, banded from beginner to expert.
How this lesson is made: this public explanation comes from the authored Strong Squares curriculum. Automated checks protect its chess data, source fields and learning flow. Independent chess-editor approval remains part of the private-preview release process. Read the teaching method.