Checkmate patterns
Anastasia's mate
A knight and rook trap the king against the edge of the board.
What is the anastasia's mate?
Anastasia's mate is a partnership between a knight and a rook (or queen). The knight covers the king's escape toward the centre, while the rook delivers mate along the edge, where the king is pinned against the board's border.
Why the anastasia's mate matters
Edge mates come up constantly once an attack reaches the king, and Anastasia's is the cleanest template for the knight-and-rook duo. Recognising it turns a vague "I have an attack" feeling into a concrete, countable sequence.
How to use it to win
Plant a knight on e7 so it controls g8 and c8, then bring a rook to the h-file with check. The king is stuck on the edge, the knight blankets the exits, and the rook finishes the job. Look for it whenever the enemy king is shoved to the h-file.
Try an example puzzle
A real anastasia's mate puzzle from the app. Black to move — find the idea, then reveal the line.
4 
6 
Show solution
1. ... Qh4#
Drill the anastasia's mate on thousands of real puzzles, matched to your rating.