 The 'checkmating' of the enemy King brings the game of Chess to an immediate end.
You may be losing the Battle, you may be outnumbered on the Board by enemy pieces, but if you deliver 'checkmate' then the battle is won you are the winner!
To checkmate a King is a perilous and difficult business. You are battling against a skilful enemy. So you have to think and plan carefully. You have to manoeuvre the pieces into position without risking your own King. Sometimes you sacrifice pieces to tempt your opponent into the position you want him/her in... you have to be very clever and think several moves ahead - you have to plan your strategy.
You know now how to ATTACK the King and you know how the King can get out of Check. (see section on checking).
Suppose you checked a King in such a way that our opponent could :
1. Not move his King away
2. Not capture the attacker
3. Not move a piece to block the attack
We would then have Checkmate - and we would win the game.
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| White to Move |
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The White Rook moves to attack the Black King. The King cannot get out of check.
This is CHECKMATE and White wins the game.
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| Black to move |
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The Black Queen moves to attack the Black King supported by the Black Bishop.
CHECKMATE!
The White King cannot capture the Black Queen because it is protected by the Black Bishop. |
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White to move.
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The White Queen moves attacking the Black King. He cannot move to a square next to the White King. Remeber two kings cannot stand next to each other.
Black's king has no 'escape squares' or squares where he is not attacked.
It is CHECKMATE. |
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