Learn How to Spot Epaulette Mate: Endgame Tactics
This chess endgame puzzle is a classic example of an epaulette mate, where the enemy king is boxed in by its own pieces and has no escape squares. The key idea is that a forcing check drives the king into a cramped position, and the final mating move lands because the surrounding pieces act like a cage. In practical classical chess, these patterns often appear when rooks and minor pieces coordinate against an exposed king.