Boden's Mate
Two bishops deliver checkmate on criss-crossing diagonals, punishing a king stuck in the center.
Published 2026-02-01 | Last verified 2026-02-12
Professor Archer says: Boden's Mate is named after Samuel Boden, who famously executed this pattern in a game in 1853. What strikes me about this checkmate is its geometric beauty. Two bishops, each controlling a diagonal, create an X-shaped net that no king can escape. I sometimes describe it to my students as the chess equivalent of a crossfire — the king is caught between two lines of attack with nowhere to hide.
What Is Boden's Mate?
Boden's Mate is a checkmate pattern in which two bishops, working on criss-crossing diagonals, deliver checkmate to a king that is blocked by its own pieces. The pattern is named after the English chess master Samuel Boden, who demonstrated it in a celebrated game against Schulder in 1853.
The typical scenario involves a king that has castled queenside or remains on c8/d8, with its own pawns on c7 and d7 (or similar squares) blocking its escape. One bishop delivers check on a long diagonal, and the king has no escape because its own pieces block the adjacent squares, and the second bishop covers the remaining flight squares from the opposite diagonal.
Think of it as two searchlights crossing in the night sky. Each bishop projects its power along a diagonal, and where those diagonals intersect is where the king is trapped. The key insight is that the king's own pieces become obstacles, and the two diagonals form a cage from which there is no escape.
This pattern arises most often after queenside castling, when the c-pawn and d-pawn are still on their original squares. It also appears when a king has been unable to castle and remains stuck in the center with pawns obstructing its movement.
Boden's Mate: The Classic Position
In this position, we see a classic Boden's Mate setup. White has bishops that can reach crossing diagonals aimed at the black king on c8. The key is the configuration of Black's own pieces: the pawns on c7 and b7 block the king's natural escape routes, and the knight on c6 further clogs the position.
When a bishop delivers check from a6 (along the a6-c8 diagonal), the king cannot escape. It cannot go to d8 or d7 because the other bishop controls those squares from the g1-a7 diagonal. It cannot go to b8 because the c7 pawn blocks that path indirectly, and the king's own pieces on c7 seal the last exit.
The devastating power of this mate comes from the fact that bishops are long-range pieces. They do not need to be near the king to deliver the blow. A bishop on a6 and a bishop on f4 can combine from opposite sides of the board to create this deadly pattern. This range makes Boden's Mate particularly hard to see coming if you are not familiar with the pattern.
Boden's Mate: the bishop on a6 and bishop on f4 deliver checkmate on crossing diagonals. The king is trapped by its own pieces.
Recognising Boden's Mate Opportunities
To spot potential Boden's Mate opportunities in your games, look for these telltale signs. The enemy king should be on c8, d8, or a similar central/queenside square. The king should have its own pawns on adjacent squares, particularly on c7 and d7, blocking escape routes. And you need two bishops with access to the relevant crossing diagonals.
One common setup is when your opponent has castled queenside and you still have both bishops. The a6-f1 and a7-g1 diagonals (or their mirror equivalents) are the highways your bishops want to travel. If you can open lines to these diagonals, often through a pawn sacrifice or exchange, the mate may be possible.
Sacrificing material to open diagonals is a recurring theme. In Boden's original game, a queen sacrifice preceded the mate. This is not unusual — the two-bishop mate is so definitive that sacrificing even a queen to achieve it is often worth it.
I suggest practising by setting up random positions with a queenside-castled king and seeing if you can arrange two bishops to deliver the mate. This exercise trains your eyes to recognize the diagonal geometry that Boden's Mate requires. Once you see it a dozen times in practice, you will start seeing it in real games too.
Boden's Mate FAQ
Can Boden's Mate occur on the kingside?
Yes. While the classic pattern targets a queenside-castled king, the same concept of two bishops on crossing diagonals can apply to a kingside-castled king. The specific squares change, but the geometric principle is identical.
Does Boden's Mate always require a sacrifice?
Not always, but in practice, some form of sacrifice (often a queen sacrifice) is usually needed to clear the diagonals or deflect a defending piece. The sacrifice is what makes many Boden's Mate combinations so spectacular.
How can I prevent falling victim to this mate?
Be cautious about queenside castling when your opponent has the bishop pair and open diagonals aimed at your king. Consider moving your c-pawn or d-pawn to create an escape route. Keeping at least one escape square open for your king is the simplest precaution.
Professor Archer says: Whenever I see a king that has castled queenside with pawns blocking the c-file, I immediately think of Boden's Mate. The pattern is a reminder that the bishop pair is one of the most powerful weapons in chess. Two bishops working together can control an astonishing number of squares, and when those diagonals converge on the enemy king, the result is often spectacular.
Quick Quiz
What is the defining feature of Boden's Mate?
- Two bishops deliver checkmate on criss-crossing diagonals (Correct) - Correct. Boden's Mate is defined by two bishops working together on crossing diagonals to checkmate a king that is trapped by its own pieces.
- A single bishop and rook trap the king in the corner - That description is closer to other patterns. Boden's Mate specifically requires two bishops on crossing diagonals, not a bishop and rook combination.
- A knight and bishop work together to deliver mate - A knight and bishop combination describes other patterns. Boden's Mate is specifically about two bishops on criss-crossing diagonals creating an inescapable net.
- A queen sacrifice followed by a bishop checkmate - While queen sacrifices often precede Boden's Mate, the defining feature is the two bishops on crossing diagonals, not the queen sacrifice itself.