Blackburne Shilling Gambit · 1880
Smothered Mate
Teaching line — Black offers a “shilling gambit”, White grabs everything, and a knight mates on f3.
LevelBeginnerElo600–800ThemeKnight patternsMoves7
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Moves · tap to jump
0/140/14
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Starting position
Ready
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Main lesson
A king surrounded by its own pieces is in danger of a knight mate.
What your student should learn
- A king surrounded by its own pieces can be mated by a knight.
- Free material in the opening is often bait.
- Know the correct answer (4.Nxd4) as well as the trap.
- Knights mate when there are no empty squares.
Mini tournament checklist
- ✓ Does my king have empty squares nearby?
- ✓ Is an enemy knight two moves from mating?
- ✓ Am I taking material while behind in development?
- ✓ Did I check every knight jump before capturing?
Run through this list before you start an attack in a real game. Mostly yes means look for tactics; otherwise improve one more piece first.
Full move list
The Shilling Gambit
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White Grabs Everything
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Smothered Mate
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Note: Great trap for juniors — but teach the defence (4.Nxd4) too.