The 'Swallow's Tail Mate' is a special type of checkmate in chess. The essence of this mate is that it is executed by a queen supported by another piece. The queen attacks the king along a file or rank. Another piece protects the queen. The king's own pieces block its escape routes forming a V-shaped formation (hence the name 'swallow's tail'). This mate is considered aesthetically pleasing due to its geometric shape and effective use of blocking. Although not the most common this mate sometimes occurs in practical games and is often used in chess problems. This mate is also frequently used to demonstrate the importance of piece coordination and the danger of blocking one's own king.