Chess Openings·Scholar's Mate

Open Game

Scholar's Mate

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qh5 Nf6 4.Qxf7#

Step through

7 / 7
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.

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. 1.e4White: Pawn e2→e4
  2. 1…e5Black: Pawn e7→e5
  3. 2.Bc4White: Bishop f1→c4
  4. 2…Bc5Black: Bishop f8→c5
  5. 3.Qh5White: Queen d1→h5
  6. 3…Nf6Black: Knight g8→f6
  7. 4.Qxf7#White: Queen h5→f7 (capture) (check)

Nearby lines

first 3 moves shared

Bishop's Openinge4 e5 Bc4Open Gamee4 e5King's Gambit…f4Vienna Game…Nc3Petrov Defence…Nf3 Nf6Philidor Defence…Nf3 d6

Common questions

Q. What are the moves of Scholar's Mate?

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qh5 Nf6 4.Qxf7#

Q. Which family does it belong to?

Open Game — Everything that starts 1.e4 e5.

Q. Who is to move next?

After 7 moves it is Black to move.