Rules & notation
Stalemate
The side to move has no legal move and is not in check — the game is an immediate draw.
Stalemate is not checkmate: the king is not under attack, but the player simply cannot make any legal move. The result is a draw, no matter how much material the other side has.
It is the great swindle of the endgame — the drowning player's last resource when a queen or extra pawns should have won.
Why it matters
Countless winning endgames are thrown away by stalemate; countless lost ones are saved by it.
The mistake everyone makes
Grabbing every pawn with a queen up and accidentally leaving the enemy king with no legal move.
Related terms
Checkmate
The king is in check and there is no legal way out — the game is over.
Promotion
A pawn reaching the last rank becomes any piece you choose — almost always a queen.
King activity
In the endgame the king becomes a strong piece and should march toward the action.
Endgame
The final phase of the game, once most pieces are traded off and the king becomes an active fighting piece.
See Stalemate in your own games
Play the engine, train tactics, and analyse your games — ChessRanger points out these patterns as they come up so the word turns into a skill. Free to start.
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