Learn How to Deflection Mate: Mate in 2
This middlegame puzzle is a classic example of a deflection mate: White uses a forcing check to pull the black king onto a vulnerable square, then finishes with a direct mating strike. The key idea is not material gain but king safety and piece coordination. White’s bishop and knight work together to exploit the exposed king zone, while Black’s own pieces restrict escape squares. In classical chess, these short tactical refutations often appear when one side’s king is boxed in by its own army.