Explanation

In this level, you can achieve a smothered mate in two moves. In many cases the king will initially not completely blocked in by its own pieces, but you can force your opponent to block the last escape square.

Examples

White can force Black to block the last escape square with 1.Qg8+!
Black cannot capture with the King, because the knight on h6 is protecting the queen.
Therefore, Black is forced to play 1...Nxg8, blocking the king's last escape square on g8.
Now the king is completely blocked in, and White can win with the smothered mate 2.Nf7#.

This even works when the rook is on f8 and is guarding f7, as in the following example:

White can win with the deflection 1.Qg8+.
Black cannot capture with the King, because the knight on h6 is protecting the queen.
Therefore, Black is forced to play 1...Rxg8, blocking the king's last escape square on g8.
The rook is now deflected from guarding f7, and White can win with smothered mate Nf7#.

How to Spot Smothered Mate

This combination works well against a king castled short, if the f-pawn moves or was captured.

Related combinations

Smothered mate in two moves often makes use of the block escape square and deflection from checkmate combinations.