Barnes Opening: Fool's Mate is a chess opening with the ECO code A00, part of the Barnes Opening family. It goes 1. f3 e5 2. g4 Qh4#. White opens with 1. f3 (the Barnes move) and Black answers 1... e5. After 4 moves it is White to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. f3 – White plays the pawn to f3
1... e5 – Black plays the pawn to e5
2. g4 – White plays the pawn to g4
2... Qh4# – Black plays the queen to h4, checkmate
About the Barnes Opening
White starts with 1.f3, one of the worst first moves. It weakens the king and takes the best square from the g1 knight.
The idea is to support e4 later, but it is slow.
Fool's Mate: 1.f3 e5 2.g4?? Qh4# is the fastest checkmate.
chessGM