fool's mate

British  

noun

1. chess a checkmate achieved by Black's second move: the quickest possible mate

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Example Sentences

“The scholar’s mate, or the fool’s mate, is when you bring out your queen and bishop and attack your opponent’s bishop pawn in front of the king. At a beginner’s level it’s the simplest, fastest and most effective way to try and checkmate, but against an experienced opponent it won’t work: your pieces will be driven back and your opponent will gain the advantage.”

From The Guardian

The Bolsheviks won this game of chess by a fool's mate.

From Time Magazine Archive

He says that if that does not drift back to earth safely with the crow-like parachute–if anything should happen to it, to the two little wheels, with the paper winding from one on to the other, all dashed with pencil marks–the world would call him a fool’s mate....

From Project Gutenberg

Next move I gave him "fool's mate."

From Project Gutenberg

Fool's Mate.—This is the simplest of all checkmates, being accomplished in two moves in the following manner:—   WHITE.

From Project Gutenberg