Ponderchess / Special moves
See the threat, find an escape, recognize when none exists.
Check means the king is under attack.
Escape by moving, capturing, or blocking when possible.
Checkmate means check with no legal escape.
Play the guided film, or select a scene to pause and study its position.
Rule
Checkmate patterns in 3D
Black's king is walled in by its own pawns. They were meant to protect it.
Rebuild the sequence yourself. The board responds to each move, and hints are available.
Click or drag to move · Arrow keys + Enter to play
Your turn · white to play
Select a piece, then its destination. Switch to 2D for a clear overhead view or rotate the 3D board to explore the position.
The back-rank mate and the smothered mate, seen from the king's side of the board.
Idea 01
Idea 02
Idea 03
The back-rank mate and the smothered mate, seen from the king's side of the board.
Keyboard: Space pauses, the arrow keys step. Gold arrows are White's moves, violet are Black's, red rays are threats, green shows support, blue shows plans.
Make the idea yours
No timer. No score. Just a moment to check your understanding.
