Scholar’s Mate

Unlike Fool’s mate, Scholar’s mate often occurs in games of beginners. The main idea of Scholar’s mate
is that “f7” square is weak since it’s being protected by the king alone. Remember, I told you that it is unwise to rely on traps in serious games? Scholar’s mate is a perfect example to show that. After 1.e4 e5 2. Qh5
Black does not have to reply with 2…Nc6. Instead Black can play 2…Nf6 driving the White’s Queen back and developing king’s knight at the same time. After white queen retreats to the safe square, say 3.Qh4, Black develops another piece: 3…Nc6, 3…Bc5 or 3…Be7 with discovered attack on white’s queen.

1. e4 e5 2. Qh5 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Qxf7#