Checkmate positions are the most pleasing and satisfying sights for the player enforcing it on a chess board but are not witnessed much in modern chess where the fight is for positional superiority and material advantage. However, while explaining the rules of the game to beginners, checkmate is the objective which signifies the end of the game.

For enforcing checkmate in the endings with rook, queen and a few pieces in combination, it is more an application of technique but to enforce it with pieces on the board, it is a delightful sight. For, there may be sacrifices as the opposing pieces crowd around the King or force him to a corner. The ensuing game is one such where a delightful checkmate is witnessed.
White: Hieni Olsen (2292) – Black: Simen Agdestein (2580)
VISA Nordic, Gentofte 1999
Queen’s Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6
Wants to fianchetto the bishop on the queen side
4. g3
White decides to fianchetto on the King-side to challenge the bishop for the control of the long White diagonal
4. ..Ba6 5. Nbd2 Bb4 6. Qc2 Bb7 7. Bg2 Be4
Suddenly swooping onto the centre
8. Qb3 Bxd2+ 9. Bxd2 d6 10. 0–0 0–0 11. Rfd1 Nbd7 12. Rac1 h6 If 12...Re8 13. Bh3 h6 14. Be3 c5 15. dxc5 Nxc5
13. Qe3
A new move. The usual continuation is13. Qa3 a5 14. b3 (14. Bh3 Qe7 15. Ne5 Rae8 16. Nxd7 Nxd7 17. Be3 f5 18. f3 Bb7 19. c5 Nf6 20. Bd2 g5 21. Bg2
13...a5
He does’nt want to give White any chance to push his queen-side pawns.
14. Bc3 Re8 15. Bh3 Bh7 16. Bg2
If 16. Nd2 e5 17. Bg2 Rb8 18. d5 Ng4 19. Qf3 f5 20. e4 Qg5
16...c6 17. Nd2
He wants to manoeuvre the knight and change tracks .17. ..Rc8
Playing a waiting game by just positioning the pieces. Black is keeping White guessing as to which pawns he might advance in the centre
18. Nf1. Difficult to understand why White shifts the knight from a good square to this one!
18...d5 19. b3 Ne4
Realising that the 18th move retreat by the knight was not good after all. 20. Nd2 Nd6
There was no need to for this retreat. He could have played
20. ..Nxc3 21. Qxc3 Nf6 leading to equality
21. Qf4 Nf6 22. Bb2 Nf5 23. e4
Better would be 23. Nf3
23. ..g5
If 23. ..dxe4 24. Nxe4 Nxe4 25. Bxe4 and white gets advantage .
24. Qf3
If 24. Qe5 Nd7 and Black looks better
24. ..dxe4 25.Nxe4
White could have played 25. Qc3 Nd6 26. d5 (26. Re1 b5 27. Ba1 b4 28. Qb2) 26...e5 27. dxc6 Rxc6 28. Nf1 leading to an unclear position. 25. ..Nxe4 26. Qxe4 Nxg3 27. Qe5 Nh5. A good move. If 27. ..Nf5? 28. d5 f6 29. Qxf6 would have given a better position for White. 28. d5
If 28. Bf3 f6 29. Qe3 Nf4 and Black is better
28. ..f6 29. Qd4 cxd5
If 29. ..Nf4 30. Qxf6 (30. Re1 e5) 30...Qxf6 31. Bxf6 Ne2+ 32. Kf1 (32. Kh1 Nxc1 33. d6 Nd3) 32. ..Nxc1 33. d6 Kf7 34. Rxc1 Kxf6 35. d7 Red8 36. dxc8Q Rxc8
30. cxd5 Rxc1 31. Rxc1
A mistake! White has definitely missed an opportunity to get counter play. He could have accepted the rook with 31. Bxc1 e5 32. Qg4 Ng7 (32. ..Nf4 33. Bxf4 exf4 34. d6) 33. d6 Bf5 34. Qc4+ Be6 (34. ..Kh7 35. Be3) 35. Qc6 Bd7 36. Qc4+ Ne6 37. Be3]. 31. ..e5 32. Qc4. If 32. Qd2 Nf4 33. d6 Bd3
32. ..Kh8 33. Qc6 Nf4 34. Bf3
If 34. Rd1 Re6 35. Qc4 Nxg2
34. ..g4
An advance which emphasizes Black’s domination
35. d6 gxf3 36. d7 Rg8+ 37. Kh1 Nd3 38. Rc2 Rg1+

Diagram 1
Finishing with a flourish. White cannot avert checkmate as 39. Kxg1 Qg8+ and hence White resigned as his King has run out of squares and cannot prevent 40. ..Qg2 checkmate.

Diagram 2
Black to play and win. 1. ..RxNf3 and it is all over for if 2. gxf3 Rd1+ followed 3. Qxe5.