Short Spike and Grob: Mating Pattern and Spike Opening

Short Spike

Definition

The Short Spike is a classical check-mating pattern in which a long-range piece (usually a queen or rook) pins an enemy man that stands immediately in front of its own king. The pinned piece, unable to move out of the way, becomes a “spike” that blocks its monarch’s flight-square, while the pinning piece simultaneously delivers mate. The term “short” refers to the fact that the pinned piece is only one square away from the king; when the king and the blockading piece are separated by more than a single square, composers speak of the “Long Spike.”

Origins & Terminology

The word “spike” was already found in 19th-century problem columns. Sam Loyd, one of the great pioneers of chess composition, used the phrase “spike mate” for the basic idea. English-language anthologies later refined it into “Short Spike” versus “Long Spike,” a distinction helpful to problemists who catalogue mating ideas with almost scientific precision.

How it Arises in Practical Play

• The defender’s pawn (or, more rarely, a minor piece) sits directly in front of its king.
• An attacking queen or rook occupies the same file, rank, or diagonal, giving check and simultaneously pinning the blocker.
• Because the pinned unit cannot move or interpose, and the king has no escape, the position is immediately checkmate.

Strategic Significance

Although primarily a composition theme, the Short Spike reminds tournament players of two evergreen lessons:

1. Pieces directly shielding the king need mobility; a pinned shield can become a liability.
2. Open lines toward the king—especially files stripped of their pawns—must be watched carefully.

Illustrative Miniature

The following theoretical diagram shows the bare-bones geometry. White to move:

Black’s pawn g6 is pinned by the queen on h8 and blocks the king on g8—Short Spike mate.

Famous OTB Appearance

In practical games the pattern is rarer but not unknown. One celebrated occurrence is the finish of Basman – Upton, British League 1991:

[[Pgn| 1.g4 e5 2.Bg2 d5 3.c4 dxc4 4.Qa4+ Nd7 5.Nf3 Bd6 6.Na3 e4 7.Nd4 Nf6 8.Nf5 O-O 9.Nxc4 Nc5 10.Qa3 Bxf5 11.gxf5 Re8 12.Rg1 Nd3+ 13.exd3 exd3+ 14.Kd1 Ng4 15.Qxd3 Nxf2+ 16.Kc2 Nxd3 17.Kxd3 Bc5 18.Rf1 Qd4+ 19.Kc2 Qxc4+ 20.Kd1 Qe2+ 21.Kc2 Qxg2 22.Rd1 Qe4+ 23.d3 Qxf5 24.Rd2 Bd4 25.Rb1 Qc5+ 26.Kd1 Qh5+ 27.Kc2 Re1 28.Rg2 Qd1#| fen|6k1/5pp1/8/4pq2/8/8/6PP/6RK b - - 0 28|arrows|qf5d1|squares|g8g7,qf5]]

Black’s queen on d1 mates; the pinned white rook on d2 acts as the spike directly in front of its king on c2.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• Several problem anthologies set informal challenges: “Replace the pinned pawn with any other piece and create a Short Spike in three moves!” This remains a favorite training exercise at composition workshops.
• Computer engines, which normally scoff at human mating classifications, still employ the idea implicitly; in many table-base positions the winning move is a Short Spike pin leading to mate in two or three.

Grob (Grob’s Attack / Spike Opening)

Definition

The Grob is an unorthodox chess opening for White beginning with 1.g4. Because it simultaneously grabs kingside space and fatally weakens the light-squared complex around the white monarch, it is generally considered dubious at master level—yet it remains a popular surprise weapon in blitz and rapid play. In older English-language literature it is also called the “Spike Opening,” explaining why game databases frequently label lines A00 Grob/Spike.

Origins & Historical Background

The opening is named after Swiss master Henri Grob (1904-1974), who analysed it exhaustively and published a monograph entitled Angriff g2-g4. Grob reportedly sent postcards containing his latest 1.g4 ideas to friendly grandmasters—even when war made international correspondence difficult. Later, English IM Michael Basman championed the line, adding irreverent commentary such as “If it’s bad, why do people keep losing to it?”

Main Ideas

• White claims the h1–a8 diagonal for the fianchettoed bishop after Bg2, hoping to harass Black’s center.
• The typical pawn lever is h4-h5, trying to open the rook on h1 against Black’s king.
• Black targets the loose pawn on g4 (…Bxg4 or …Qxg4) and often builds a broad center with …d5 and …e5.
• Because of the weakened f3 and h3 squares, Black’s thematic tactic is …Bxg4 followed by …Qh4#, or the fork …Nxg4.

Canonical Variation

Henri Grob’s “Ideal” line:

[[Pgn|1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Bxg4 3.c4 c6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Qb3 Nf6 6.Nc3| fen|rnbqkb1r/pp4pp/2p2n2/3pp3/6bP/1Qn5/PP3BP1/RN2K1NR w KQkq - 0 7|arrows|g4g5,f3g5|squares|d5d4]]

Typical Black Set-ups

1. Classical reply: 1…d5 2…Bxg4. Black accepts the pawn, develops quickly, and plays for the center (…e5).
2. Solid reply: 1…g6, treating 1.g4 as a fianchetto opening gone wrong and simply completing development.
3. The Symmetrical “Coca-Cola”: 1…g5, also labeled the Borg (“Grob” spelled backward) when played by Black against 1.g4 or 1.Nf3 g5.

Strategic Pros & Cons

• + Surprise value: opponents are pushed out of mainstream theory on move 1.
• + Clear attacking plans (h4-h5, Rg1, Qb3, Bb2) give fast-paced play—ideal for speed chess.
• - Permanent weaknesses on e4, f3 and h3 often allow deadly counter-punches.
• - Endgames usually favor Black, whose structure is sounder.

Illustrative Game

Henri Grob himself shows the romantic potential (Zürich 1942):

[[Pgn| 1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Bxg4 3.c4 e6 4.Qb3 Nc6 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bxd5 Nd4 7.Bxf7+ Ke7 8.Qe3+ Kxf7 9.Qf4+ Nf6 10.Na3 Bd6 11.Qxd4 Re8 12.Nc4 Re4 13.Qc3 Nd5 14.Qb3 Kf8 15.d3 Re8 16.Bd2 Nf4 17.O-O-O Nxe2+ 18.Nxe2 Bxe2 19.Rde1 b5 20.Ne3 Bf3 21.Nf5 Qf6 22.Nxd6 cxd6 23.Rxe8+ Rxe8 24.Rg1 a6 25.Bc3 Qh6+ 26.Kb1 Re7 27.Qb4 Qxh2 28.Rxg7 Rxg7 29.Bxg7+ Kxg7 30.Qd4+ Qe5 31.Qa7+ Kg6 32.Qxa6 Qe1+ 33.Kc2 Bd1+ 34.Kc1 Ba4#|fen|8/3r4/3pk3/8/bQ6/3P4/K1Q5/2K4b b - - 0 34]]

Not objectively sound, but certainly memorable!

Modern Practice & Statistics

In Mega-databases the Grob scores roughly 40 % for White—well below mainstream openings. However, bullet and blitz specialists such as Hikaru Nakamura and Baadur Jobava have toyed with 1.g4 online, leveraging its toxic surprise factor.

Interesting Facts

• World champion Magnus Carlsen once opened 1.g4 in a 2012 Blitz game against Levon Aronian, smiling broadly while doing so.
• Michael Basman paired the Grob with the St. George Defence (1…a6 as Black), proudly claiming he never studied “proper” theory.
• The Grob-Inspired “Masque Attack” (1.Nf3 g5) is sometimes called the Short Spike after GM Nigel Short tried the idea in blitz exhibitions—illustrating how the two terms on this page occasionally blend in casual conversation.