Hook Mate
A rook delivers checkmate with support from a knight and pawn, forming a hook-like shape near the corner.
Published 2026-02-01 | Last verified 2026-02-12
Professor Archer says: The hook mate is one of those patterns that, once you see it, you cannot unsee it. The pieces form a distinctive shape on the board — like a shepherd's crook or a fish hook, depending on your imagination. I remember drawing the pattern on a napkin for a student in a cafe once, and she said, "Oh, it really does look like a hook!" From that day forward, she spotted it in every rook-and-knight combination.
What Is the Hook Mate?
The hook mate is a checkmate pattern in which a rook, a knight, and a pawn cooperate to trap the king, typically near a corner of the board. The pattern gets its name from the distinctive shape the pieces form, which resembles a hook or crook.
In the typical hook mate, the rook delivers the actual check, usually along a rank or file near the corner. The knight controls the key escape squares that the king might flee to, particularly the squares diagonally adjacent to the corner. And a pawn cuts off the remaining escape route, usually on the g-file or b-file.
What makes the hook mate especially instructive is how it demonstrates the power of minor pieces working alongside a major piece. A rook alone cannot deliver this mate. A knight alone certainly cannot. But together, with the humble pawn acting as the final barrier, they create an inescapable prison.
I find this pattern comes up most often in positions where a knight has infiltrated the enemy's kingside, typically landing on f7 or g6, and a rook is ready to swing over to deliver the decisive blow. The pawn is usually already in place, part of the general pawn structure, which makes the mate feel almost accidental — until you realise how deliberately the pieces were coordinated.
The Hook Mate Position
In this position, we see the hook mate in its classic form. White's rook on h8 delivers check to the black king. The knight on f7 controls both g5 and h8 (among other squares), and critically controls g5 where the king might want to flee. A pawn on g6 would complete the hook by controlling the f7 and h7 escape squares.
The black king on g8 is in check from the rook. It cannot move to f8 because the knight controls that square. It cannot move to h7 because the pawn on g6 controls it. It cannot go to f7 because the knight is there. The hook is complete — the rook, knight, and pawn have sealed every exit.
Notice the shape on the board: the rook on h8, the knight on f7, and a pawn on g6 form a distinctive hook-like curve. This visual pattern is what gives the mate its name, and once you have seen it, you will recognize the shape emerging in your own games before the final move is even played.
Hook mate: the rook on g8 delivers check, the knight on f7 and pawn on g6 seal all escape routes.
When to Look for the Hook Mate
The hook mate opportunity typically arises in middlegame positions where you have already achieved certain positional advantages. Here are the conditions to watch for.
First, your knight should be well-placed on the sixth or seventh rank near the enemy king. A knight on f7 (against a kingside-castled king) is the classic launching pad. If your knight is on f7 or nearby and the enemy king is on g8 or h8, start looking for hook mate possibilities.
Second, you need a rook that can access the rank or file needed to deliver check. If your knight is on f7, the rook typically needs to reach the g-file or h-file. An open file or the ability to lift a rook via the third or fourth rank is essential.
Third, look at the pawn structure. Is there a pawn (yours or your opponent's) on g6, g7, or similar squares that restricts the king's movement? Often, a pawn on g6 is the unheralded hero of the hook mate, cutting off the king's escape without drawing any attention to itself.
I recommend setting up positions with a knight on f7, a rook ready to move, and experimenting with pawn placements to see how the hook mate takes shape. This hands-on practice is far more effective than simply reading about the pattern.
Hook Mate FAQ
Is the hook mate related to the Arabian mate?
They are related in that both involve a rook and knight working together, but the hook mate specifically includes a pawn as a third participant. The Arabian mate is a two-piece pattern (rook and knight only), while the hook mate requires all three pieces.
Can the hook mate occur on the queenside?
Absolutely. The hook mate can occur in any corner of the board. Against a queenside-castled king, the pattern would be mirrored, with the knight on c7 or b6 and the rook delivering check from the a-file or b-file.
How common is the hook mate in practice?
The hook mate appears regularly in tactical puzzles and occasionally in tournament games. It is more common than some exotic patterns because the setup conditions — a knight on the seventh rank and a rook nearby — arise naturally in many middlegame positions.
Professor Archer says: The hook mate teaches a vital lesson about cooperation between pieces. The rook, the knight, and the pawn each play an indispensable role. Remove any one of them, and the mate falls apart. This is chess at its most collaborative — three pieces of different types working together like instruments in a small chamber ensemble.
Quick Quiz
What three pieces are required for the hook mate?
- A rook, a knight, and a pawn (Correct) - Correct. The hook mate requires all three: the rook delivers check, the knight controls escape squares, and the pawn seals the final exit. Each piece is indispensable.
- A queen, a knight, and a bishop - The hook mate does not involve a queen or bishop. It is specifically a rook, knight, and pawn pattern, which is what gives it the distinctive hook shape.
- Two rooks and a knight - The hook mate requires only one rook, not two. The third piece is a pawn, which cuts off the king's remaining escape square to complete the hook shape.
- A rook, a bishop, and a pawn - A bishop is not part of the hook mate. The knight is essential because it controls squares that the rook and pawn cannot reach, completing the encirclement of the king.