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Chess Opening Theory/1. f3/1...e5/2. g4/2...Qh4

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Fool's Mate
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black kinge8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black knighth8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black kingf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black kingg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black kinge5 black pawnf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 black kingf4 black kingg4 white pawnh4 black queen4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 black kingd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 white pawng3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 white pawne2 white pawnf2 black kingg2 black kingh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 white knighth1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)

rnb1kbnr/pppp1ppp/8/4p3/6Pq/5P2/PPPPP2P/RNBQKBNR w

Moves: 1.f3 e5 2. g4 Qh4

Barnes Opening/Fool's Mate

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2... Qh4#

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White has played a very poor and weakening move and allowed Black the quickest possible checkmate (Fool's Mate) in the opening game of chess: Mate in two moves. The mate almost never occurs in practice but is commonly known among chess players, due to it being the fastest possible checkmate. However, Black was already better.

A variation of this mate occurs when White advances the f-pawn two squares: 1. f4 e6 2. g4?? Qh4#. White can also move their g-pawn before the f-pawn.

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References

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