Avoiding stalemate
In chess, you can win or lose. But a game can also end in a tie. In chess this is called a draw. Both players get a half point.How does a game end in a draw? There is more than one way to reach a draw. For instance, when neither side has enough pieces on the board to the checkmate the enemy king. If both White and Black are left with a solitary king, it is a draw.
A chess game can also end in a draw by stalemate. It is very common for beginners. This lesson teaches you what a stalemate is.
Example 1 presents a stalemate:
• It is your turn
• You are not in check
• You can’t move anywhere
If your king can’t move, but one of your other pieces can, it is not a stalemate. The game continues. See example 2.
When you are ahead in the game, you want to win. You don’t want a stalemate! Examples 3 and 4 show you how to avoid stalemate.
What do you have to do?
You are ahead in the game. Avoid stalemate!
But the king can’t go anywhere. Wherever he moves, he moves into check. And that is against the rules.
The king is not in check, so it can’t be checkmate.
It is a stalemate. Both players get half a point.
Black is thrilled. He was afraid he was going to lose the game. White is very sad. He was ahead a whole bunch of pieces.
This shows that getting a lead in a chess game is not enough to win. You have to make good use of your extra pieces.
The game is not over until it is a checkmate!
