Figure 6.2.11.3[White to move]

Boden’s mate most characteristically arises with a queen sacrifice on c6 to pull the b7 pawn out of the way and open the diagonal needed to mate. Thus Black’s king appears to have a snug position here but is finished in two moves: 1. Qxc6+, and now the reply b7xQ is forced; then 2. Ba6#. As often is the case, the best clue to seeing this mating idea is a pawn in front of the king that has stepped forward, opening a diagonal into the king’s sanctuary. Once you have a bishop aimed through the hole created by the c-pawn’s advance, notice how constrained the king becomes: its only available move is a diagonal step to b7; and that means an attack along that diagonal—as with a bishop on a6—can mate. So your task becomes the removal of the b7 pawn, etc.