[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "?"] [Black "?"] [Result "*"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "r5k1/1p4pp/8/qn4N1/8/1PQ5/5PPP/6K1 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "9"] {} {At first sight the postion looks hopeless for white. White is rook down and black threatens Qa1+. But...} 1. Qc4+ Kh8 (1... Kf8 2. Qf7#) 2. Nf7+ Kg8 3. Nh6+ {double check} Kh8 (3... Kf8 4. Qf7#) 4. Qg8+ {The queen is protected by the knight, so has to be taken by the rook rather than the king. This was the point of moving the knight to h6.} Rxg8 5. Nf7# {Checkmate. This is an example of a smothered mate. The king is surrounded by its pieces and in check from the knight - there is no escape.} *