Answers.Body: <p>In the usual orientation of pictures, black starts at the top and moves <em>down</em>, so the pawn would have to capture <em>backward</em> to take the queen. The actual pattern you see is a prime example of a &quot;back rank/row mate&quot;.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2022-04-19T17:30:13.153Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2022-04-19T17:30:13.153Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: paul garrett
Body: <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/UlhJU.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/UlhJU.png" alt="board" /></a></p>
  <p>I am just learning Chess. Why is this a checkmate? It's Black's turn, and White's queen threatens Black's king, so check. But if I play gxf8, the check is gone. Why doesn't the game let me do it?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2022-04-19T17:37:11.877Z
Comments.Text: Well, it must be that black starts from the top. In that case, pawns cannot move backward so `gxf8` is not possible. You can check this by seeing the coordinates of the board on the side.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Abhyuday Vaish
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2022-04-19T19:52:30.240Z
Comments.Text: Protip: If you are a total rookie, always play with a board that has numbered/lettered ranks and files, so that you can immediately see in which direction the pawns move. Online resources can be lazy in that regard.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Hauke Reddmann
Tags: <checkmate><beginner><check>
Title: Why is this a Checkmate? Pawn can capture queen?
ThreadText: # Why is this a Checkmate? Pawn can capture queen?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2022-04-19)
  
  [![board](https://i.sstatic.net/UlhJU.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/UlhJU.png)
  
  I am just learning Chess. Why is this a checkmate? It's Black's turn, and White's queen threatens Black's king, so check. But if I play gxf8, the check is gone. Why doesn't the game let me do it?
  
  **Tags:** checkmate, beginner, check
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Well, it must be that black starts from the top. In that case, pawns cannot move backward so `gxf8` is not possible. You can check this by seeing the coordinates of the board on the side.  
  > **username_2**: Protip: If you are a total rookie, always play with a board that has numbered/lettered ranks and files, so that you can immediately see in which direction the pawns move. Online resources can be lazy in that regard.  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2022-04-19. Score: 9 | Accepted answer
  
  In the usual orientation of pictures, black starts at the top and moves *down*, so the pawn would have to capture *backward* to take the queen. The actual pattern you see is a prime example of a "back rank/row mate".
  
  
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