Damiano's Mate
A queen supported by a pawn delivers checkmate on the h-file after the king is lured forward.
Published 2026-02-01 | Last verified 2026-02-12
Professor Archer says: Damiano's Mate is named after Pedro Damiano, a Portuguese apothecary who published one of the first printed chess books in 1512. An apothecary who wrote about chess — I find that wonderfully charming. His book was filled with practical advice and tactical patterns, and this checkmate was among the most striking. Over five hundred years later, we are still using his ideas at the board.
What Is Damiano's Mate?
Damiano's Mate is a checkmate pattern in which the queen, supported by a pawn, delivers checkmate on the h-file to a king that has been forced to the g-file or the edge of the board. The pattern typically begins with a sacrifice to open the h-file and lure the king forward, followed by a queen check that leads to mate.
The classic sequence starts with a rook or queen sacrifice on h7 or h8 to draw the king to the h-file. Once the king is on h7 or h6, the queen delivers check from h5 or h4, supported by a pawn on g6 or another piece. The king, with no escape route, is checkmated.
Pedro Damiano described this pattern in his 1512 book, making it one of the oldest documented checkmate ideas in printed chess literature. The pattern has survived half a millennium because it captures a fundamental attacking principle: the king is most vulnerable on the edge of the board, and forcing it there with sacrifices is a reliable path to checkmate.
I find this pattern particularly instructive because it shows the power of pawn support. The queen alone cannot deliver this mate because the king would have escape squares. But with a single pawn covering one or two key squares, the queen's attack becomes irresistible. It is a beautiful example of the queen-pawn partnership.
Damiano's Mate: The Final Position
In this position, we see the culmination of Damiano's Mate. White has sacrificed material to drive the black king to h7 (or the king was lured there by a sacrifice). Now the queen delivers checkmate from h8 or a nearby square.
The queen on h7 delivers check. The king, on g8 or driven to the edge, cannot escape. A pawn on g6 controls the f7 and h7 squares (or a pawn elsewhere supports the queen's position). The king cannot go to f8 because the queen covers it. The king cannot go to the g-file because the queen and pawn control those squares.
What makes this mate decisive is the pawn's humble role. The pawn does not deliver check; it simply sits on a square and controls adjacent diagonals. But that modest contribution is what makes the difference between a check that the king can escape and a check that is checkmate.
In practice, Damiano's Mate often involves a preliminary sacrifice followed by a quiet queen maneuver. The sacrifice creates the conditions (drawing the king forward, opening the h-file), and the queen calmly delivers the final blow. It is a pattern that rewards patience within aggression.
Damiano's Mate: the queen on h7 delivers checkmate, supported by the pawn on h6. The king on h8 is trapped.
Recognising Damiano's Mate Opportunities
To spot Damiano's Mate in your games, look for the following conditions. The enemy king should be on or near the h-file (or a-file for a mirrored version). Your queen should be able to reach the h-file with check. And you need a pawn or piece supporting the queen's position on or near the h-file.
The most common trigger is a sacrifice on h7 or h8. If you can sacrifice a rook on h7, forcing the king to take (Kxh7), you may then be able to follow with Qh5+ or Qh4+, driving the king further into trouble. If a pawn on g6 supports the queen (or you can get one there), the mate is in sight.
Watch for positions where the enemy king has moved its h-pawn, creating a weakness. A pawn on h6 (after ...h6) means the g7 and h7 squares may be weakened, and a sacrifice on h6 itself can sometimes open the gates. Similarly, if the g-pawn has advanced (as in the Sicilian Dragon), the h-file can become a lethal avenue of attack.
I tell my students to always ask themselves this question when attacking the kingside: if I sacrifice everything to open the h-file, can my queen deliver mate with pawn support? If the answer is yes, calculate the sacrifice. If the answer is maybe, calculate it anyway — you might find a gem.
Damiano's Mate FAQ
Who was Pedro Damiano?
Pedro Damiano (c. 1480-1544) was a Portuguese apothecary and chess enthusiast who published one of the earliest printed chess books in 1512. Despite not being a professional player, his book was widely influential and contained many tactical ideas that are still studied today.
How does Damiano's Mate differ from Greco's Mate?
Greco's Mate typically involves a rook on the h-file and a bishop on a diagonal. Damiano's Mate uses a queen on the h-file supported by a pawn. Both target a king near the h-file, but the attacking pieces and their roles differ.
Does the supporting pawn have to be on a specific square?
The supporting pawn is most commonly on g6 (supporting Qh7 mate) or h6 (supporting an attack down the h-file), but the exact square depends on the position. The key requirement is that the pawn covers one or more of the king's potential escape squares.
Professor Archer says: What I want my students to take from Damiano's Mate is this: the queen and a humble pawn can deliver checkmate against a full army if the conditions are right. Never dismiss a position just because you have fewer pieces. A well-placed queen near the enemy king, supported by a single pawn, can be worth more than a fleet of uncoordinated pieces.
Quick Quiz
What makes Damiano's Mate possible when a queen check alone would not suffice?
- A supporting pawn covers the king's escape squares (Correct) - Correct. The pawn is the key difference. Without pawn support, the king could escape the queen's check. The pawn covers one or two critical escape squares, turning a check into checkmate.
- A bishop blocks the king's retreat - Damiano's Mate specifically features queen-plus-pawn, not queen-plus-bishop. While bishops can support mating attacks, the pawn is the signature supporting piece in this pattern.
- The king is in the corner and cannot move - The king does not need to be in the corner for Damiano's Mate. It is typically on the h-file or g-file, and the pawn support is what makes the mate work, not the corner position.
- Two queens are needed to cover all escape squares - Only one queen is needed. The pawn provides the additional coverage that turns the queen's check into checkmate. This economy of force is what makes the pattern so elegant.