Stalemate in chess: why it is a draw and how to avoid it
Stalemate is a position where the side to move has no legal move but is not in check. The game ends at once, and it is a draw.
Stalemate saves many lost games: the stronger side, with an extra queen, takes away every square from the king and forgets to give check.
What stalemate looks like
The black king is in the corner. White brings the queen closer, and the move takes away the king’s last squares without attacking it.
Mate instead of stalemate
From the same position, a check along the back rank is mate: the king is attacked and has nowhere to go. Mate and stalemate differ in one thing only: whether the king is in check.
How not to stalemate
- Before every move, count the opponent’s moves. If they have none after your move and you are not giving check, it is stalemate.
- Leave the king a square while you bring up your own king. Mate usually takes both pieces.
- Checks first. When mate is near, look at the checks before the quiet moves.
Exercise: mate, not stalemate
White to move and mate in one. Careful: several moves here are stalemate.
Make the move on the board: drag a piece, or click it and then a square.
Solved!
Qh2# gives check along the h-file. The queen covers h7, and the white king covers g7 and g8. Moves like Qg6 or Qe4 leave Black without a move but also without check: stalemate.
Key points
- Stalemate: the side to move has no legal move and is not in check. The game is a draw.
- Mate and stalemate differ only in the check.
- When winning, make sure the opponent always has a move until you give mate.