Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

arabian mate

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.49 in modern English

Syllables
ara-bi-an -mate
IPA
15
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A checkmate pattern in which a rook provides the checkmate to the cornered king while being protected by a knight that also covers the only would-be escape square.

Etymology

Possibly named such because the pattern was also possible in shatranj, the Middle Eastern predecessor to chess which included rooks and knights but had many other differences. According to various sources, the mate is described in an eighth century Arabic manuscript, but this claim could not be substantiated. The pattern, however, does appear as a solution to a position presented in an anonymous Arabic-language manuscript that was copied in 1257 (original source of material unknown).

Inflected Forms

Arabian mates (plural)

Questions

What does arabian mate mean?
A checkmate pattern in which a rook provides the checkmate to the cornered king while being protected by a knight that also covers the only would-be escape square.
Where does arabian mate come from?
Possibly named such because the pattern was also possible in shatranj, the Middle Eastern predecessor to chess which included rooks and knights but had many other differences. According to various sources, the mate is described in an eighth century Arabic manuscript, but this claim could not be substantiated. The pattern, however, does appear as a solution to a position presented in an anonymous Arabic-language manuscript that was copied in 1257 (original source of material unknown).

How to pronounce arabian mate

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