Flank Opening
Fool's Mate
1.f3 e5 2.g4 Qh4#
Step through
4 / 4
- 1.
- 2.
Tap a move to jump to that position.
A piece is thrown in to reach mate within a few moves. A natural-looking reply walks straight into a prepared trick. Of the four central squares, pawns stand on e5. Nothing has been captured yet. Neither side has castled yet. The last move is mate — the game is over.
The position
- Length
- 4 moves
- To move
- White
- Legal replies
- 0
- Minor pieces out
- White 0 · Black 0
- Material
- level
- Castling rights left
- KQkq
- FEN
- rnb1kbnr/pppp1ppp/8/4p3/6Pq/5P2/PPPPP2P/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 1 3
Move by move
Each move spelled out: which piece went from where to where.
- 1.f3White: Pawn f2→f3
- 1…e5Black: Pawn e7→e5
- 2.g4White: Pawn g2→g4
- 2…Qh4#Black: Queen d8→h4 (check)
Nearby lines
first 1 moves shared
Common questions
Q. What are the moves of Fool's Mate?
1.f3 e5 2.g4 Qh4#
Q. Which family does it belong to?
Flank Opening — First moves other than e4 and d4, aiming at the centre from the wing.
Q. Who is to move next?
After 4 moves it is White to move.