Scholarsmate
This is a very short game with only 4 moves made by each player
Diagram 1 shows the pieces at the start of the game. In diagram 2 white played e4. He moved his pawn from e2 to e4. This is a good move because it lets his queen and his bishop come out.
Diagram 1 Diagram2
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In diagram 3 black has played e5. He moved his pawn from e7 to e5. This allows his bishop and his queen to come out.
In diagram 4 white played Bc4. He moved his bishop from f1 to c4 where it can play a greater part in the game.
Diagram 3 Diagram 4
In diagram 5 black played Nc6. He moved it from b8 to c6 where it can pay a greater part in the game.
In diagram 6 white has played Qh5. He moved his queen from d1 to h5.
Now look at the white bishop on c4 and the white queen on h5. They are both attacking the black pawn on f7.
Diagram 5 Diagram 6
In diagram 7 black has played Nf6. He has moved his knight from g8 to f6 and in diagram 8 white has played Qxf7 checkmate. Black is in check from the white queen. He cannot move his king to e7 because he would still be in check. He cannot take the white queen with his king because he would then be in check from the bishop on c4
Black fell into a trap called "scholar's mate". Let us look at diagram 6 again and see how he could have avoided being checkmated.
Black can play g6. He can move his pawn from g7 to g6. The pawn is now attaking the queen and she will have to retreat.
Only chess beginners do not know about this trap. It is no good trying this with anyone who has played chess for a while. Playing Qh5 is not really a good move because black can make your queen retreat.
Diagram 6 Diagram 9
