Checkmate
If the king is in check, ask yourself the following questions:
- Can the king be moved?
- Can a piece be placed in between?
- Can the piece delivering the check be captured?
Is the answer no to all three? Then it’s checkmate! Checkmate ends the game immediately!
Stalemate
If the player to move is not in check but has no legal moves, it’s a stalemate.
The game ends immediately — like checkmate — but the result is a draw.
You can’t take back your move once you’ve stalemated your opponent!
That’s why you must stay focused until the very end of the game — one careless move can turn a sure win into a draw.
It’s also why a player who’s far behind, even with only a king left, should never give up.
A well-timed stalemate can save half a point!
