a checkmate in a chess game where a player's own pieces prevent him from maneuvering the king out of mate.

1. d4 . . . Nf6
2. c4 . . . e5
3. dxe5 . . . Ng4
4. Nf3 . . . Nc6
5. Bf4 . . . Bb4+
6. Nhd2 . . . Qe7
7. a3 . . . Ngxe5
8. axh4 . . . Nd3++

another exmaple of a Smothered Mate is Philidor's Legacy.