Tactics · Learn
The Opera Mate
Named for Morphy's immortal Opera Game: a rook (or queen) mates on the back rank, supported by a bishop, while the king is boxed in by its own pieces. The bishop guards the mating rook and seals a flight square.
How to spot it: when the enemy king is stuck on its back rank behind its own men, look for a rook check defended by a bishop raking the long diagonal: the classic finish to a lead in development.
How to spot it: when the enemy king is stuck on its back rank behind its own men, look for a rook check defended by a bishop raking the long diagonal: the classic finish to a lead in development.
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.