Check, Checkmate and Stalemate: What's the Difference?
Learn the difference between check, checkmate and stalemate in chess, the three ways to get out of check, and how to avoid stalemating your opponent.
The whole game of chess revolves around one idea: attacking the enemy king. Three words describe what can happen to a king, and every beginner needs to know them cold: check, checkmate and stalemate. The first is a warning, the second wins the game, and the third is a draw that has cost countless players a sure win.
What is check in chess?
A king is in check when an enemy piece attacks it, meaning that piece could capture the king on its next move. In casual games players often announce "check", but you do not have to say it, and in tournaments you should not.
When you are in check, you must get out of check on your very next move. Any move that leaves your king in check is illegal. There are exactly three ways to do it:
- Move the king to a square that is not attacked.
- Block the check by putting a piece between your king and the attacker. (You cannot block a knight or a pawn check, since there is no square in between.)
- Capture the piece that is giving check.
Try it yourself
Black is in check from the queen on e7. The queen is unprotected, so the best way out is to capture it:
A few more check rules:
- You can never move into check, and you can never leave your king in check.
- A king can never give check to the other king, so the two kings can never stand on neighboring squares.
- A double check comes from two pieces at once. The only way out is to move the king, since you cannot block or capture two attackers in one move.
What is checkmate?
Checkmate (or just "mate") is check with no way out: the king is attacked, and there is no legal move that moves it to safety, blocks the check or captures the attacker. Checkmate ends the game immediately, and the side that delivered it wins.
The king is never actually captured in chess. The game ends one move earlier, when capture can no longer be avoided.
Here is one of the most common checkmates, the back-rank mate. The black king is trapped behind its own pawns:
Find the checkmate
It is White's turn. Find a move that checkmates the black king:
Learn the essential patterns in our guide to basic checkmates.
What is stalemate?
Stalemate happens when the player to move is not in check but has no legal moves. Stalemate is a draw, not a win, no matter how much material the other side has.
Stalemate usually happens when one side has a big advantage and carelessly takes away the last free squares of the enemy king. Click "Show me" to see a classic mistake:
How to avoid stalemate when you are winning:
- Before every move, ask: "After this move, does my opponent have a legal move?"
- When the enemy king is nearly trapped, give check or leave it a free square while your king comes closer.
- Remember that a queen covers a lot of squares. Queen moves near a cornered king are the most common cause of stalemate.
Stalemate is one of several ways a game can be drawn. The others (threefold repetition, the 50-move rule, insufficient material and agreement) are explained in our guide to draw rules.
Check vs checkmate vs stalemate at a glance
- Check: king attacked, the player must respond. Game continues.
- Checkmate: king attacked and no legal way to escape. Game over, the attacker wins.
- Stalemate: king not attacked, but no legal move at all. Game over, it is a draw.
Frequently asked questions
Is stalemate a win or a draw?
Stalemate is always a draw in standard chess, under both FIDE and US Chess rules. Each player gets half a point, even if one side was far ahead in material.
Do you have to say "check" in chess?
No. Announcing check is optional and is not required by the FIDE or US Chess rules. In tournaments, repeatedly announcing check can even be considered distracting your opponent.
Can a king capture a piece to get out of check?
Yes, as long as the captured piece is not protected. If another enemy piece defends it, capturing would move the king into check, which is illegal. The same goes for a checking queen: see can a king take a queen. One option you never have is castling: you cannot castle out of check, although you may castle later once the check is over.
What happens if you don't notice you are in check?
Leaving your king in check is an illegal move. Online, the site simply will not let you make it. Over the board, the move must be taken back and replaced with a legal one, and in tournaments there can be a penalty such as extra time for your opponent.
What is the fastest checkmate in chess?
The fastest possible checkmate is the Fool's Mate, which takes only two moves by Black: 1.f3 e5 2.g4 Qh4#. It only happens if White weakens the king badly on the first two moves.
Keep learning
Related guides
- How Can a Chess Game End in a Draw? All 5 Draw Rules — All the ways a chess game can end in a draw: stalemate, threefold repetition, the 50-move rule, insufficient material and agreement, with FIDE and USCF details.
- Basic Checkmates Every Beginner Should Know — Learn the essential checkmates: queen and king, rook and king, the ladder mate, back-rank mate, Scholar's Mate, Fool's Mate and smothered mate.
- The Rules of Chess: Complete List of Official Rules (FIDE and US Chess) — The official rules of chess in one complete list: setup, piece moves, castling, en passant, check, draws, touch-move, clocks and FIDE vs US Chess rules.
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