A situation can arise where a player, whose turn it is to move, finds he is unable to do so and yet he is not in check.
This is a strange situation and is called . The game is over and the result is a DRAW.
If you attack your opponent's King and he cannot get out of check, then it is .
But if
you have the situation of . |
|
Black cannot move his King because by doing so he would either be moving into check or next to his opponent's King and neither as we know, is allowed. It would therefore be an illegal move. Black is not in check at the moment, so he is not in checkmate.
The position is STALEMATE and the game is drawn. |
|
If White is careless he can stalemate his opponent and turn a game he could win into a draw. |
 White plays Qd6??.
A very poor move, because now the Black King is in stalemate. He is not in check and yet cannot move to any square. White cannot win - he has forced a draw situation. |
 .
He finds he cannot -Stalemate! |
|
Stalemate again! It is very esay to bring about stalemate when there is a King and Queen against King.
It's very important to take care in these situations to avoid this. With a Queen and a King white should win - but a wrong move means stalemate and a draw! |
The White Pawn is blocked by Black's Pawn and so cannot move. The White King is not in check but there is no square to which it is allowed to move. There being no other piece White can move, this is again a stalemate position. |
The Black King cannot move. Both the empty squares next to his King are attacked by the White Rook. The Black King is not in check. Is this stalemate?
No for there are other pieces on the board which Black can move. He may move either his Knight or his Pawn. |
Here again Black has a blocked Pawn and the King is not in check. With no square for the King to go to, this is another stalemate position. |
|
White has been trying to Queen his Pawn and win. The game is drawn , however as Black is unable to move - Stalemate. |
Black to move any piece anywhere on the chessboard 
White to move. 
White to move. 
Black to move. 
DISCLAIMER: The information given in this site is presented in good faith, but the site-author is human and does make mistakes! Should you find anything that you believe is in error please notify the Webmaster of your finding. 