It is quite easy to make quick work of a less experienced player by this method. Because of its mind boggling speed, the novice will never see it coming. It is then essential to be able to detect the proper board positions of thepieces in order to properly defend one's king.

Characteristic of the four move checkmate is the board positions of the Queen and Bishop. If you see your opponent moving their Queen and Bishop early in the game, it's a strong hint that they are setting up for the four move checkmate. Also, do not be fooled into thinking that this checkmate should be done in four moves either. Often times, even players who know about the four move checkmate are defeated by it because their opponent was able to disguise their intentions with many 'decoy' moves. Indeed, one should always be on the watch when the Queen is attacking the King's Bishop Pawn.

Defense: Defending against the four move checkmate is quite simple, and it holds the additional advantage of catching your opponent off guard and putting them into a weaker position (as they had just wasted four moves).

Move your Knight in front of King's Bishop Pawn. This move holds the added advantage of opening your knight for further development. You also are in a position to allow your Knight to control the center of the board and to protect any assets you may have there or;
Move your King's Bishop Pawn forward one spot. This basically kills any chance that your opponent's Queen will be able to get within your King's perimeter. However, a disadvantage is that this move blocks your Queen's range of motion.