Open Game
Scholar's Mate
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qh5 Nf6 4.Qxf7#
Step through
7 / 7
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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 e4 · e5. 1 pieces have left the board. Neither side has castled yet. The last move is mate — the game is over.
The position
- Length
- 7 moves
- To move
- Black
- Legal replies
- 0
- Minor pieces out
- White 1 · Black 2
- Material
- 39 · 38
- Castling rights left
- KQkq
- FEN
- rnbqk2r/pppp1Qpp/5n2/2b1p3/2B1P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNB1K1NR b KQkq - 0 4
Move by move
Each move spelled out: which piece went from where to where.
- 1.e4White: Pawn e2→e4
- 1…e5Black: Pawn e7→e5
- 2.Bc4White: Bishop f1→c4
- 2…Bc5Black: Bishop f8→c5
- 3.Qh5White: Queen d1→h5
- 3…Nf6Black: Knight g8→f6
- 4.Qxf7#White: Queen h5→f7 (capture) (check)
Nearby lines
first 3 moves shared
Common questions
QWhat are the moves of Scholar's Mate?
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qh5 Nf6 4.Qxf7#
QWhich family does it belong to?
Open Game — Everything that starts 1.e4 e5.
QWho is to move next?
After 7 moves it is Black to move.