Answers.Body: <p>For a short mating possibility in a very standard mainline opening, one can look to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caro-Kann_Defence#Smyslov_.2F_Karpov_.2F_Modern_Variation">Smyslov-Karpov variation</a> in the Caro-Kann Defense:</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  [Result "1-0"]
  1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Qe2 Ngf6?? 6.Nd6#
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The most popular continuations are <code>5. Nf3</code>, <code>5. Bc4</code> and <code>5. Ng5</code> (an aggressive try which Kasparov assayed a number of times against Karpov). The sneaky try <code>5. Qe2</code> just sets up a pin against Black's e-pawn, making the intended followup <code>5... Ngf6??</code> unplayable.</p>
  
  <p>There are a mere 271 games in my database (out of several million) in which this 5. Qe2 appears, but one finds a few GMs giving it a go: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Radulov">Ivan Radulov</a>, <a href="http://www.chessgames.com/player/oleg_nikolenko.html">Oleg Nikolenko</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Gallagher">Joe Gallagher</a> (against as strong an opponent as IM <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibor_K%C3%A1rolyi_%28chess_player%29">Tibor Karolyi</a>), even some guy named <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Alekhine">Alekhine</a> (though, admittedly, only in a consultation game against a team of four amateurs). A 2300 player also tried it out against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasser_Seirawan">Yasser Seirawan</a> on the black side; Seirawan didn't fall into the trap of course, but the 2300 did manage to get a draw out of the game.</p>
  
  <p>If you're still reading, you're probably curious: out of the 271 games I have on record, in only 34 of them did black fall into the trap with <code>5... Ngf6</code>. Alekhine's amateur foes were among the victims, and the highest rated victim was in a game Hans Speck (2140) - Nikolaus Mertens (2165) from the 1997 Liechtenstein Open. <strong>Most interestingly</strong>, on two of those 34 occasions, the white player failed to reply with <code>6. Nd6#</code>. One was a player rated 1873 who went on to lose to his 2202 opponent; the other was rated 2264(!) and managed to win anyway against a 2113 on the black side.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-08-18T22:05:05.073Z
Answers.Text: This is an exact game sequence between GM Rapport and a 2050 odd player a few weeks ago. I can't imagine the horror.
Answers.UserDisplayName: RingMaster
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-05-26T20:20:08.597Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-11-01T14:19:25.570Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2012-11-01T14:19:25.570Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: ETD
Answers.Body: <p>A mate in 2½ move, derived from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayward_Queen_Attack" rel="noreferrer">Wayward Queen Attack</a>, occurs if black moves Ke7 as a panic attempt to "protect" the e5 pawn with the king, which may occur if young players move too quickly:</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  
  1. e4 e5 
  2. Qh5 Ke7 
  3. Qe5#
  </code></pre>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-12-29T06:30:16.370Z
Answers.Text: The king must have super powers to protect that pawn XD
Answers.UserDisplayName: ferit
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-12-11T10:28:02.263Z
Answers.Text: Step 1: touch the king and forget to say "j'adoube".
Answers.UserDisplayName: Federico Poloni
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-12-11T10:43:58.827Z
Answers.Text: ["j'adoube"](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/j%27adoube): To adjust
Answers.UserDisplayName: Morten Zilmer
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-05-11T11:32:26.287Z
Answers.Text: @FedericoPoloni Yes, The correct procedure is: 1. e4 e5 (very reasonable moves). Then, while playing 2. Qh5, make a big circular movement which "accidentally" topples the black king. It is very likely that many black players would forget to say j'adoube in such a situation before placing the king upright again.
Answers.UserDisplayName: user1583209
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-06-09T15:27:32.787Z
Answers.Text: This is also probably more common than you may think, in older games. I seem to recall the penalty for an illegal move was at one stage to move the king
Answers.UserDisplayName: sjb-2812
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-04-06T20:28:27.133Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-12-29T07:30:16.810Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2015-12-29T07:30:16.810Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Morten Zilmer
Answers.Body: <p>The Blackburne-Shilling Gambit could result in a quick loss for White if he plays some fairly plausible moves:</p>
  <p>1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 {Italian opening} Nd4 4.Nxe5 {Free pawn!} Qg5 5.Nxf7 {Forking the queen and rook.} Qxg2 6.Rf1 {Preventing Qxh1} Qxe4+ 7.Be2 {Qe2 Nxe2 drops the queen} Nf3#</p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;&quot;]
  1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 {Italian opening} Nd4 4.Nxe5 {Free pawn!} Qg5 5.Nxf7 {Forking the queen and rook.} Qxg2 6.Rf1 {Preventing Qxh1} Qxe4+ 7.Be2 {Qe2 Nxe2 drops the queen} Nf3#  0-1
  </code></pre>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-12-11T11:40:01.763Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-10-26T11:24:53.217Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2021-10-26T11:24:53.217Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: D M
Answers.Body: <pre><code>[FEN "nbqnbrkr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NBQNBRKR w KQkq - 0 1"]
  [StartPly "3"]
  
  1. d3 {Pyt Honisten eröffnet mit seinem Lieblingsbauern} g5 {Retho Riker antwortet mit seiner Standard-Antwort} 2. Qxg5# {Pyt Honisten ging zum nächsten Brett, während sich Retho Riker tränenreich vom Schach verabschiedete.}
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>With Chess960, also known as Fisher Random Chess, you can achieve it, too.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-09-30T17:43:39.290Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-07-05T15:27:47.577Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2019-07-05T15:27:47.577Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: L'Fish
Answers.Body: <p>There's a 2-move checkmate, termed <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFKxKviVL1I" rel="nofollow noreferrer">fool's mate</a>:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <ol>
    <li>f3 e5 2. g4 Qh4#</li>
    </ol>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fool%27s_mate" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Fool's mate on Wikipedia</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-05-27T14:10:25.353Z
Answers.Text: I played Fool's Mate when I was in the 7th or 8th grade.  I decided that the chess match against a neighboring school was a really good time to "invent a new opening."  I was wrong.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tony Ennis
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-11-29T18:56:11.957Z
Answers.Text: I also lost to it in my bizarre-paws-opening period, a careless day :D (as a 1900 ^^)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Nikana Reklawyks
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-05-24T05:37:53.923Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2020-03-03T19:43:24.127Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2020-03-03T19:43:24.127Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Caffeinated
Answers.Body: <p>To add to the Fool's Mate idea, this game left enough of an impression on me to remember it.</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  1. d4 f5 2. Bg5 {An enterprising line, threatening to weaken Black's pawn structure after the natural Nf6.} h6 3. Bh4 g5!? {This seems to trap the bishop, but the holes around the Black king are very dangerous. It is objectively OK, but only if Black does not play to win material.} 4. Bg3 f4? {This move is a definite mistake.} 5. e3! {Now fxg3 leads to Qh5#, and White threatens to rescue his bishop with exf4} h5 {Renewing the threat, now 6. exf4 h4 and the bishop is still trapped} 6. Bd3 {Objectively this move isn't the best, but it threatens Bg6#} Rh6?? 7. Qxh5+! Rxh5 8. Bg6#
  </code></pre>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-05-02T07:28:39.150Z
Answers.Text: This is the [Teed vs Delmar](https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1242990) game (1896).
Answers.UserDisplayName: Cyriac Antony
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-12-11T03:31:58.773Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-05-11T11:02:57.397Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2019-05-11T11:02:57.397Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Allure
Answers.Body: <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  
  1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. Nc3 axb5 6. e4 b4 7. Nb5 Nxe4 8. Qe2 Nf6 9. Nd6#
  </code></pre>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-08-20T05:32:37.360Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-08-20T08:17:43.100Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2014-08-20T08:17:43.100Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: MichalRyszardWojcik
Answers.Body: <p>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Gambit#Kieninger_Trap" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kieninger Trap</a> in the Budapest gambit has trapped numerous amateurs but even some masters over the years. It involves a similar mating pattern to those found in some of the other answers. There are only so many ways to blunder a king early in the game.</p>
  <p>1.d4 Nf6
  2.c4 e5
  3.dxe5 Ng4
  4.Bf4 Nc6
  5.Nf3 Bb4+
  6.Nbd2 Qe7
  7.a3 Ngxe5
  8.axb4 Nd3#</p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;&quot;]
  1.d4 Nf6 
  2.c4 e5 
  3.dxe5 Ng4 
  4.Bf4 Nc6 
  5.Nf3 Bb4+ 
  6.Nbd2 Qe7 
  7.a3 Ngxe5 
  8.axb4 Nd3# 
  </code></pre>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-02-27T16:53:47.327Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-10-26T11:15:57.153Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2021-10-26T11:15:57.153Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: John Coleman
Answers.Body: <p>Here’s a simple example which I always like.</p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;&quot;]
  1. d4 e5 2. Bg5 Qxg5 3. Qc1 Qxc1#
  </code></pre>
  <br/>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-02-27T16:50:38.927Z
Answers.Text: Yes thanks for pointing it out! Ok changed to another short one
Answers.UserDisplayName: Laska
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2022-01-09T13:44:10.680Z
Answers.Text: Well, 2 Bg5 is quite a bad blunder. White needn't hang wQ & allow mate, but Black has an advantage whatever White plays.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Rosie F
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-02-27T07:13:38.123Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-02-28T00:19:40.757Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2021-02-28T00:19:40.757Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Laska
Answers.Body: <p>Légal's mate, which <a href="https://chess.stackexchange.com/a/585">Andrew mentioned</a>, can also occur in the Italian Opening, with a move order which is perhaps more credible:</p>
  <p>1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 d6 4. Nc3 Bg4? 5. h3 Bh5? 6. Nxe5! Bxd1? 7. Bxf7+! Ke7 8. Nd5#.</p>
  <p>Black has a similar trap in the Petrov:</p>
  <p>1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6? 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bc5 6. Bg5? Nxe4! 7. Bxd8? Bxf2+ 8. Ke2 Bg4#.</p>
  <p><a href="https://chess.stackexchange.com/a/34308">John Coleman mentioned</a> the Kieninger Trap, a Black trap in in the Budapest gambit. White has two traps in the Caro-Kann that are similar to this:</p>
  <p>1.e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 {Nf6 is better} 5. Qe2?! Ngf6? 5. Nd6#</p>
  <p>This also works after 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-10-26T11:08:03.603Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2022-01-09T12:39:32.683Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2022-01-09T12:39:32.683Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Rosie F
Answers.Body: <p>Against the Bird Opening (1.f4), black can play the From Gambit which threatens a kind of fool's mate:</p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;&quot;]
  
  1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nc3? Qh4+ 5.g3 Qxg3+ 6.hxg3 Bxg3#
  </code></pre>
  <p>Instead of 4.Nc3, which is just an example move, 4.d4 and 4.g3 are common.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-02-27T20:55:20.067Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-02-27T20:55:20.067Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: RemcoGerlich
Answers.Body: <p>There are probably as many quick mates as there have been first time players (since we all get caught in these at the start!) but here are a few common ones:</p>
  <h2>Fool's Mate</h2>
  <p>This is the shortest possible checkmate in a mere two moves:</p>
  <p>1.f4 e5 2. g4 Qh4#</p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;&quot;]
  
  1. f4 e5 2. g4 Qh4# 0-1
  </code></pre>
  <br />
  White can also play f3 instead of f4 or move the g pawn before the f pawn.
  <h2>Scholar's Mate</h2>
  <p>This mating pattern is also sometimes referred to as &quot;Fool's Mate&quot; and there are two main patterns:</p>
  <p>1.e4 e5 2. Bc4 (2. Qh5 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Qxf7#) Nc6 3. Qf3 Bc5 4. Qxf7#</p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;&quot;]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 (2. Qh5 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Qxf7#) Nc6 3. Qf3 Bc5 4. Qxf7# 1-0
  </code></pre>
  <br />
  The key is that f7 is insufficiently defended and mate is delivered there.
  <h2>Légal's Mate</h2>
  <p>Légal's Mate (also spelled as Légall's Mate) is probably the mate referenced in the question:</p>
  <p>1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 d6 4.Nc3 Bg4  5.h3 Bh5? 6.Nxe5! Bxd1?? 7.Bxf7+ Ke7 8.Nd5#</p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;&quot;]
  
  1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 d6 4.Nc3 Bg4  
  5.h3 Bh5? 6.Nxe5! Bxd1?? 7.Bxf7+ Ke7 8.Nd5# 1-0
  </code></pre>
  
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-11-18T08:48:53.763Z
Answers.Text: Legal's mate is quite cute. Isn't it?
Answers.UserDisplayName: rpattabi
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-04-08T12:06:56.063Z
Answers.Text: Légal's Mate is the smartest mate on this page, I never thought about it. I could've mated at least 30 opponents with it! Damn I should have read your answer long ago.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Lynob
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-08-29T12:33:07.740Z
Answers.Text: After `6.Nxe5` black can reply with `6...Nxe5!` which nets out to the loss of a pawn after `7.Qxh5 Nxc4 8.Qb5+`.  If white omits `5.h3`, then the black knight on e5 will defend the bishop on g4 and white will be down a piece.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Andrew
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-05-24T06:51:06.773Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-10-26T11:12:01.000Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2021-10-26T11:12:01.000Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Andrew
Body: <p>I would like to learn about a few checkmates using very few moves. I know one where you develop the knight and march it directly towards the King. Does anyone know the name of this mate and suggest others?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2012-05-24T14:38:20.683Z
Comments.Text: If you know the mate you're thinking about, can you post the moves?
Comments.UserDisplayName: Daniel
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2018-03-29T17:00:48.873Z
Comments.Text: @Daniel why did you change the wordings of the question ? #Admin why are folks editing the questions for no reason ?
Comments.UserDisplayName: Jay D
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-05-11T17:41:30.910Z
Comments.Text: 1. e4 e5 2. Qh5 Ke7 3.Qxe5#
Comments.UserDisplayName: Inertial Ignorance
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-02-27T07:56:58.987Z
Comments.Text: 1.e4 Nc6 2.Ne2 Ne5 3.c3 Nd3# or something like this might be the mate you refer to in the question, but it is too silly to have a name.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Hauke Reddmann
Tags: <checkmate><patterns>
Title: What are some checkmates with very few moves from the starting position?
ThreadText: # What are some checkmates with very few moves from the starting position?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2012-05-24)
  
  I would like to learn about a few checkmates using very few moves. I know one where you develop the knight and march it directly towards the King. Does anyone know the name of this mate and suggest others?
  
  **Tags:** checkmate, patterns
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: If you know the mate you're thinking about, can you post the moves?  
  > **username_0**: @username_1 why did you change the wordings of the question ? #Admin why are folks editing the questions for no reason ?  
  > **username_2**: 1. e4 e5 2. Qh5 Ke7 3.Qxe5#  
  > **username_3**: 1.e4 Nc6 2.Ne2 Ne5 3.c3 Nd3# or something like this might be the mate you refer to in the question, but it is too silly to have a name.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 12 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_23 on 2012-05-24. Score: 47 | Accepted answer
  
  There are probably as many quick mates as there have been first time players (since we all get caught in these at the start!) but here are a few common ones:
  Fool's Mate
  This is the shortest possible checkmate in a mere two moves:
  1.f4 e5 2. g4 Qh4#
  [FEN ""]
  
  1. f4 e5 2. g4 Qh4# 0-1
  
  
  White can also play f3 instead of f4 or move the g pawn before the f pawn.
  Scholar's Mate
  This mating pattern is also sometimes referred to as "Fool's Mate" and there are two main patterns:
  1.e4 e5 2. Bc4 (2. Qh5 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Qxf7#) Nc6 3. Qf3 Bc5 4. Qxf7#
  [FEN ""]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 (2. Qh5 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Qxf7#) Nc6 3. Qf3 Bc5 4. Qxf7# 1-0
  
  
  The key is that f7 is insufficiently defended and mate is delivered there.
  Légal's Mate
  Légal's Mate (also spelled as Légall's Mate) is probably the mate referenced in the question:
  1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 d6 4.Nc3 Bg4  5.h3 Bh5? 6.Nxe5! Bxd1?? 7.Bxf7+ Ke7 8.Nd5#
  [FEN ""]
  
  1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 d6 4.Nc3 Bg4  
  5.h3 Bh5? 6.Nxe5! Bxd1?? 7.Bxf7+ Ke7 8.Nd5# 1-0
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_24**: Legal's mate is quite cute. Isn't it?  
  > **username_25**: Légal's Mate is the smartest mate on this page, I never thought about it. I could've mated at least 30 opponents with it! Damn I should have read your answer long ago.  
  > **username_23**: After `6.Nxe5` black can reply with `6...Nxe5!` which nets out to the loss of a pawn after `7.Qxh5 Nxc4 8.Qb5+`.  If white omits `5.h3`, then the black knight on e5 will defend the bishop on g4 and white will be down a piece.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2012-05-26. Score: 33
  
  For a short mating possibility in a very standard mainline opening, one can look to the Smyslov-Karpov variation in the Caro-Kann Defense:
  [FEN ""]
  [Result "1-0"]
  1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Qe2 Ngf6?? 6.Nd6#
  
  The most popular continuations are 5. Nf3, 5. Bc4 and 5. Ng5 (an aggressive try which Kasparov assayed a number of times against Karpov). The sneaky try 5. Qe2 just sets up a pin against Black's e-pawn, making the intended followup 5... Ngf6?? unplayable.
  There are a mere 271 games in my database (out of several million) in which this 5. Qe2 appears, but one finds a few GMs giving it a go: Ivan Radulov, Oleg Nikolenko, Joe Gallagher (against as strong an opponent as IM Tibor Karolyi), even some guy named Alekhine (though, admittedly, only in a consultation game against a team of four amateurs). A 2300 player also tried it out against Yasser Seirawan on the black side; Seirawan didn't fall into the trap of course, but the 2300 did manage to get a draw out of the game.
  If you're still reading, you're probably curious: out of the 271 games I have on record, in only 34 of them did black fall into the trap with 5... Ngf6. Alekhine's amateur foes were among the victims, and the highest rated victim was in a game Hans Speck (2140) - Nikolaus Mertens (2165) from the 1997 Liechtenstein Open. Most interestingly, on two of those 34 occasions, the white player failed to reply with 6. Nd6#. One was a player rated 1873 who went on to lose to his 2202 opponent; the other was rated 2264(!) and managed to win anyway against a 2113 on the black side.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_5**: This is an exact game sequence between GM Rapport and a 2050 odd player a few weeks ago. I can't imagine the horror.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2014-04-06. Score: 14
  
  A mate in 2½ move, derived from Wayward Queen Attack, occurs if black moves Ke7 as a panic attempt to "protect" the e5 pawn with the king, which may occur if young players move too quickly:
  [FEN ""]
  
  1. e4 e5 
  2. Qh5 Ke7 
  3. Qe5#
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_7**: The king must have super powers to protect that pawn XD  
  > **username_8**: Step 1: touch the king and forget to say "j'adoube".  
  > **username_6**: ["j'adoube"](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/j%27adoube): To adjust  
  > **username_9**: @FedericoPoloni Yes, The correct procedure is: 1. e4 e5 (very reasonable moves). Then, while playing 2. Qh5, make a big circular movement which "accidentally" topples the black king. It is very likely that many black players would forget to say j'adoube in such a situation before placing the king upright again.  
  > **username_10**: This is also probably more common than you may think, in older games. I seem to recall the penalty for an illegal move was at one stage to move the king  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_11 on 2018-12-11. Score: 12
  
  The Blackburne-Shilling Gambit could result in a quick loss for White if he plays some fairly plausible moves:
  1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 {Italian opening} Nd4 4.Nxe5 {Free pawn!} Qg5 5.Nxf7 {Forking the queen and rook.} Qxg2 6.Rf1 {Preventing Qxh1} Qxe4+ 7.Be2 {Qe2 Nxe2 drops the queen} Nf3#
  [FEN ""]
  1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 {Italian opening} Nd4 4.Nxe5 {Free pawn!} Qg5 5.Nxf7 {Forking the queen and rook.} Qxg2 6.Rf1 {Preventing Qxh1} Qxe4+ 7.Be2 {Qe2 Nxe2 drops the queen} Nf3#  0-1
  
  
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  ### Answer by username_12 on 2015-09-30. Score: 12
  
  [FEN "nbqnbrkr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NBQNBRKR w KQkq - 0 1"]
  [StartPly "3"]
  
  1. d3 {Pyt Honisten eröffnet mit seinem Lieblingsbauern} g5 {Retho Riker antwortet mit seiner Standard-Antwort} 2. Qxg5# {Pyt Honisten ging zum nächsten Brett, während sich Retho Riker tränenreich vom Schach verabschiedete.}
  
  With Chess960, also known as Fisher Random Chess, you can achieve it, too.
  
  
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  ### Answer by username_13 on 2012-05-24. Score: 8
  
  There's a 2-move checkmate, termed [fool's mate](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFKxKviVL1I):
  
  > 1. f3 e5 2. g4 Qh4#
  
  [Fool's mate on Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fool%27s_mate)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_14**: I played Fool's Mate when I was in the 7th or 8th grade.  I decided that the chess match against a neighboring school was a really good time to "invent a new opening."  I was wrong.  
  > **username_15**: I also lost to it in my bizarre-paws-opening period, a careless day :D (as a 1900 ^^)  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_16 on 2018-12-11. Score: 7
  
  To add to the Fool's Mate idea, this game left enough of an impression on me to remember it.
  [FEN ""]
  1. d4 f5 2. Bg5 {An enterprising line, threatening to weaken Black's pawn structure after the natural Nf6.} h6 3. Bh4 g5!? {This seems to trap the bishop, but the holes around the Black king are very dangerous. It is objectively OK, but only if Black does not play to win material.} 4. Bg3 f4? {This move is a definite mistake.} 5. e3! {Now fxg3 leads to Qh5#, and White threatens to rescue his bishop with exf4} h5 {Renewing the threat, now 6. exf4 h4 and the bishop is still trapped} 6. Bd3 {Objectively this move isn't the best, but it threatens Bg6#} Rh6?? 7. Qxh5+! Rxh5 8. Bg6#
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_17**: This is the [Teed vs Delmar](https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1242990) game (1896).  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_18 on 2014-08-20. Score: 7
  
  [FEN ""]
  
  1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. Nc3 axb5 6. e4 b4 7. Nb5 Nxe4 8. Qe2 Nf6 9. Nd6#
  
  
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  ### Answer by username_19 on 2021-02-27. Score: 4
  
  The Kieninger Trap in the Budapest gambit has trapped numerous amateurs but even some masters over the years. It involves a similar mating pattern to those found in some of the other answers. There are only so many ways to blunder a king early in the game.
  1.d4 Nf6
  2.c4 e5
  3.dxe5 Ng4
  4.Bf4 Nc6
  5.Nf3 Bb4+
  6.Nbd2 Qe7
  7.a3 Ngxe5
  8.axb4 Nd3#
  [FEN ""]
  1.d4 Nf6 
  2.c4 e5 
  3.dxe5 Ng4 
  4.Bf4 Nc6 
  5.Nf3 Bb4+ 
  6.Nbd2 Qe7 
  7.a3 Ngxe5 
  8.axb4 Nd3#
  
  
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  ### Answer by username_20 on 2021-02-27. Score: 3
  
  Here’s a simple example which I always like.
  [FEN ""]
  1. d4 e5 2. Bg5 Qxg5 3. Qc1 Qxc1#
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_20**: Yes thanks for pointing it out! Ok changed to another short one  
  > **username_21**: Well, 2 Bg5 is quite a bad blunder. White needn't hang wQ & allow mate, but Black has an advantage whatever White plays.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_21 on 2021-10-26. Score: 3
  
  Légal's mate, which [username_23 mentioned](https://chess.stackexchange.com/a/585), can also occur in the Italian Opening, with a move order which is perhaps more credible:
  
  1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 d6 4. Nc3 Bg4? 5. h3 Bh5? 6. Nxe5! Bxd1? 7. Bxf7+! Ke7 8. Nd5#.
  
  Black has a similar trap in the Petrov:
  
  1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6? 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bc5 6. Bg5? Nxe4! 7. Bxd8? Bxf2+ 8. Ke2 Bg4#.
  
  [username_19 mentioned](https://chess.stackexchange.com/a/34308) the Kieninger Trap, a Black trap in in the Budapest gambit. White has two traps in the Caro-Kann that are similar to this:
  
  1.e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 {Nf6 is better} 5. Qe2?! Ngf6? 5. Nd6#
  
  This also works after 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3.
  
  
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  ### Answer by username_22 on 2021-02-27. Score: 3
  
  Against the Bird Opening (1.f4), black can play the From Gambit which threatens a kind of fool's mate:
  [FEN ""]
  
  1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nc3? Qh4+ 5.g3 Qxg3+ 6.hxg3 Bxg3#
  
  Instead of 4.Nc3, which is just an example move, 4.d4 and 4.g3 are common.
  
  
  ---
  
  