Stalemate and Draws
Now for a subtlety that trips up even experienced players. If the king is NOT in check, but his side has no legal move at all — that is stalemate, and the game ends in a draw. Remember the difference: check with nowhere to go — checkmate and victory; no check and nowhere to move — stalemate and a draw. The number of winning positions ruined by one careless check is beyond counting. A draw also comes about in other ways: by agreement of the players, by threefold repetition of the position, and when there simply isn't enough material to mate.
Let us test your understanding on the main pitfall. The opponent's king is not in check, yet his side has not a single legal move left — every square is covered, and there are no other pieces. The hasty player is already celebrating victory. What is the true result?
Precisely: stalemate is a draw. Those who remember this do not hand opponents half a point.
And one more case from real life. The armies have been wiped out entirely: two lonely kings remain on the board and nothing else. Kings, as you recall, cannot attack one another, and there is nothing left to deliver mate with. What is the result of the game?
Correct: checkmate is impossible — therefore, a draw. The logic is impeccable.
This is a preview — the full interactive lesson is in the app.
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