The Four Step Mate or Scholars Mate

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2008.10.19"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]

1. e4 {0s} c5 {book 0s} 2. Qf3 {1s (Nc3)} Nc6 {-0.02/3 1s}
3. Bc4 {0s (Qe3)} e6 {-0.18/1 3s} (3... Qa5 {4s} 4. Qxf7+
{+8.10/1 2s}) (3... b6 {3s} 4. Qxf7# {+M1/1 0s}) *

In chess, scholar's mate is the checkmate which occurs after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Qxf7#. The moves may be played in a different order or with slight variations, but the basic idea – the queen and bishop combining in an attack on f7 (or f2 if Black is performing the mate) is the same. Sometimes scholar's mate is referred to as the four-move checkmate, however, there are other ways to checkmate in four moves.

Unlike fool's mate, which rarely occurs at any level (and with which scholar's mate is sometimes confused), games ending in scholar's mate are quite common among beginners. However, it can be easily avoided; after 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Bc4, for example, scholar's mate may occur after 3...Nf6 4.Qxf7#, but 3...g6 instead, defends against the mate. The move 4.Qf3, renewing the Qxf7 threat, is easily met by 4...Nf6. Black can later fianchetto his bishop by developing it to g7.