There are a number of different ways to claim a checkmate for yourself in the game of Chess. Depending on the strength of your opponent, these checkmates may be easier to come by than with others. Usually, when playing against someone of your comparable strength, the game will usually last for a period of time, as you think on the same wavelengths and will counterbalance each other out well. However, sometimes you will get paired with someone either stronger or weaker than you and the weaker player can often be taught a lesson in the mechanics of good tactics and overall game play.

There is much debate in the Chess world about what the shortest game ever actually was. A number of games have been played which were over in only one or two moves, but all of these games ended in forfeiting, which is not something that will usually happen with beginners. Games with beginners will usually play out as the beginners are usually not able to see ahead enough in the game to tell what is coming and besides, it is usually more valuable for the beginners to actually see what happens with a checkmate. There is still much debate about what the shortest possible game in Chess is, however. Currently, two possible options are provided.

One option, called the Fool's Mate, is the actual shortest possible Checkmate available. However, it's rare that this circumstance would actually play out in a game, as even most beginners can see that it is not a wise way to play. The white pieces must act very recklessly in order for Black to procure the win and it has been postulated that the only times this move actually occurs is during some of the practice sessions between beginners, not even between real games.

In the Fool's Mate, White takes its first move by taking the King-side Bishop's Pawn and moving it either one or two spaces. Black then moves their King's Pawn either one or two spaces. White then moves their King-side Knight Pawn two spaces and Black reacts by moving the Queen all the way diagonally, to the edge of the board. This provides a Checkmate, as the White King has no possible moves.

More commonly played is the Scholar's Mate. This is an ending which often happens in games among beginners as it is a bit more intricate than a Fool's Mate and more possible to play. It is based on the theory that the F7 square of the board is one of the weakest, as it is only protected by Black's King. In this strategy, White's King-side Bishop is moved to C4 space and White's Queen is moved to H5. Then, if nothing more has been moved than some Pawns and Knights by Black, a checkmate is possible which leaves no possible moves open to the King and nothing able to remove the Queen from it's landing position of that weak F7 space. These two moves, while able to easily be avoided, are good moves to study for any Chess student, however, for they can help to teach the beginnings of masterful Chess tactics.