Mate or Stalemate? - OzChess

**Jaz** · 01-25-2009, 04:02 PM

I was playing chess with my friend once. I was down to my king and he had his king, a pawn and a bishop. Eventually he managed to corner my king, but there was no check. There would have been check only if I had to make a move. My friend said he had won, but I argued with him and said this kind of situation is called stalemate and it is a draw because it was my turn, but I had only illegal moves left. I'm pretty sure I was right, but I'm still asking for your confirmation.

**Calvin** · 01-25-2009, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Jaz

I was playing chess with my friend once. I was down to my king and he had his king, a pawn and a bishop. Eventually he managed to corner my king, but there was no check. There would have been check only if I had to make a move. My friend said he had won, but I argued with him and said this kind of situation is called stalemate and it is a draw because it was my turn, but I had only illegal moves left. I'm pretty sure I was right, but I'm still asking for your confirmation.

Your friend was right. You lose because he has more pieces left on the board than you do.

**Caligulette** · 01-25-2009, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by Calvin

Your friend was right. You lose because he has more pieces left on the board than you do.

This is not right. If he wasn't in check and couldn't move and had no legal moves than that is called a stalemate.

**AzzX** · 01-26-2009, 01:10 AM

Why didn't he advance his pawn?

**Jaydon** · 01-26-2009, 01:52 AM

Originally Posted by Jaz

I was playing chess with my friend once. I was down to my king and he had his king, a pawn and a bishop. Eventually he managed to corner my king, but there was no check. There would have been check only if I had to make a move. My friend said he had won, but I argued with him and said this kind of situation is called stalemate and it is a draw because it was my turn, but I had only illegal moves left. I'm pretty sure I was right, but I'm still asking for your confirmation.

Yeah your right mate. If you're not in check and you have no legal moves to play then it is stalemate. It doesn't matter how many pieces he may have.

**Just2Good** · 01-26-2009, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by AzzX

Why didn't he advance his pawn?

I think Jazz only had the king left, so he had no pawns left to advance.

**Jaydon** · 01-26-2009, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by Arrogant-One

I think Jazz only had the king left, so he had no pawns left to advance.

I think he means Jazz's opponent.

**Just2Good** · 01-26-2009, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Jaydon

I think he means Jazz's opponent.

Oh

Okay, I guess that makes more sense.

**Jaz** · 01-27-2009, 04:54 PM

Thanks for clearing this up guys, so I guess I was right after all.

The reason my friend didn't move any chess pieces at that point is because he was so sure he had won the game (by his rules apparently) and usually don't argue with somebody if I'm not sure myself so we just ended our game right there.

My question is if the game would have continued if my opponent would have moved a chess piece and why would one move a pawn, but not king or any other piece for that matter?

**Just2Good** · 01-27-2009, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by Jaz

Thanks for clearing this up guys, so I guess I was right after all.

The reason my friend didn't move any chess pieces at that point is because he was so sure he had won the game (by his rules apparently) and usually don't argue with somebody if I'm not sure myself so we just ended our game right there.

My question is if the game would have continued if my opponent would have moved a chess piece and why would one move a pawn, but not king or any other piece for that matter?

Its best not to argue with people who are set in the error of their ways.

In answer to your question, it doesn't matter what piece, pawn or King your opponent moves. If the move leaves a position on the board where your King is not in check, and where you have no legal moves, then the game is a draw.

Often this is referred to as a stalemate, although when that term is used by Hollywood in the movies, it usually refers to a situation where everything is roughly equal. In chess that can occur as well, for instance if each player has a centralized King and one rook - all other pieces and pawns having been captured and taken off the board moves earlier. In those types of positions, the players will often agree to a gentlemen's draw.

**Jaz** · 01-29-2009, 04:44 AM

Then again I guess it doesn't matter much if you are playing with your friends. I mean he managed to push me into the corner and he clearly had me dominated in that game, so it wasn't too difficult to tell him "whatever, man" after he had jumped up from the table claiming he had won the game.

It would have been a different story however if we had played for money as we usually do here with other games (I won't tell you which ones, but I can give you a hint - it starts with "poker"

.

Anyway next time I will be smarter. If my opponents jumps up and says he had won the game after the stalemate, I will just point him to this thread and say, "look, the internet is on my side"

**Dulce** · 01-29-2009, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by Jaz

Then again I guess it doesn't matter much if you are playing with your friends. I mean he managed to push me into the corner and he clearly had me dominated in that game, so it wasn't too difficult to tell him "whatever, man" after he had jumped up from the table claiming he had won the game.

It would have been a different story however if we had played for money as we usually do here with other games (I won't tell you which ones, but I can give you a hint - it starts with "poker" .

Anyway next time I will be smarter. If my opponents jumps up and says he had won the game after the stalemate, I will just point him to this thread and say, "look, the internet is on my side"

Usually when you're down all those peices and don't see any possible way win, its best to go for a stalemate and rob your opponent of the victory. There is now worse feeling than thinking you got the game in the bag and find out that after all that work you gut suckered into a stalemate. lol

01-25-2009, 04:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
Jaz Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 87	Mate or Stalemate? I was playing chess with my friend once. I was down to my king and he had his king, a pawn and a bishop. Eventually he managed to corner my king, but there was no check. There would have been check only if I had to make a move. My friend said he had won, but I argued with him and said this kind of situation is called stalemate and it is a draw because it was my turn, but I had only illegal moves left. I'm pretty sure I was right, but I'm still asking for your confirmation.

01-25-2009, 04:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
Calvin Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Melbourne Posts: 268	Originally Posted by Jaz I was playing chess with my friend once. I was down to my king and he had his king, a pawn and a bishop. Eventually he managed to corner my king, but there was no check. There would have been check only if I had to make a move. My friend said he had won, but I argued with him and said this kind of situation is called stalemate and it is a draw because it was my turn, but I had only illegal moves left. I'm pretty sure I was right, but I'm still asking for your confirmation. Your friend was right. You lose because he has more pieces left on the board than you do.

01-25-2009, 07:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
Caligulette Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 26	Originally Posted by Calvin Your friend was right. You lose because he has more pieces left on the board than you do. This is not right. If he wasn't in check and couldn't move and had no legal moves than that is called a stalemate.

01-26-2009, 01:10 AM	#4 (permalink)
AzzX Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Melbourne Posts: 109	Why didn't he advance his pawn? __________________ azzx.org ozsource

01-26-2009, 01:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
Jaydon SCTC Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Queensland, Gold Coast Posts: 1,101 ICC Handle: Aussieboy007 FICS Handle: Bermusia	Originally Posted by Jaz I was playing chess with my friend once. I was down to my king and he had his king, a pawn and a bishop. Eventually he managed to corner my king, but there was no check. There would have been check only if I had to make a move. My friend said he had won, but I argued with him and said this kind of situation is called stalemate and it is a draw because it was my turn, but I had only illegal moves left. I'm pretty sure I was right, but I'm still asking for your confirmation. Yeah your right mate. If you're not in check and you have no legal moves to play then it is stalemate. It doesn't matter how many pieces he may have.

01-26-2009, 12:10 PM	#6 (permalink)
Just2Good Tin Cup Champ 2004 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cairns Posts: 6,233 ICC Handle: Advantage FICS Handle: Advantage	Originally Posted by AzzX Why didn't he advance his pawn? I think Jazz only had the king left, so he had no pawns left to advance. __________________ . "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing." ~ Isaiah Berlin ~

01-26-2009, 12:34 PM	#7 (permalink)
Jaydon SCTC Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Queensland, Gold Coast Posts: 1,101 ICC Handle: Aussieboy007 FICS Handle: Bermusia	Originally Posted by Arrogant-One I think Jazz only had the king left, so he had no pawns left to advance. I think he means Jazz's opponent.

01-26-2009, 01:17 PM	#8 (permalink)
Just2Good Tin Cup Champ 2004 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cairns Posts: 6,233 ICC Handle: Advantage FICS Handle: Advantage	Originally Posted by Jaydon I think he means Jazz's opponent. Oh Okay, I guess that makes more sense. __________________ . "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing." ~ Isaiah Berlin ~

01-27-2009, 04:54 PM	#9 (permalink)
Jaz Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 87	Thanks for clearing this up guys, so I guess I was right after all. The reason my friend didn't move any chess pieces at that point is because he was so sure he had won the game (by his rules apparently) and usually don't argue with somebody if I'm not sure myself so we just ended our game right there. My question is if the game would have continued if my opponent would have moved a chess piece and why would one move a pawn, but not king or any other piece for that matter?

01-27-2009, 08:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
Just2Good Tin Cup Champ 2004 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cairns Posts: 6,233 ICC Handle: Advantage FICS Handle: Advantage	Originally Posted by Jaz Thanks for clearing this up guys, so I guess I was right after all. The reason my friend didn't move any chess pieces at that point is because he was so sure he had won the game (by his rules apparently) and usually don't argue with somebody if I'm not sure myself so we just ended our game right there. My question is if the game would have continued if my opponent would have moved a chess piece and why would one move a pawn, but not king or any other piece for that matter? Its best not to argue with people who are set in the error of their ways. In answer to your question, it doesn't matter what piece, pawn or King your opponent moves. If the move leaves a position on the board where your King is not in check, and where you have no legal moves, then the game is a draw. Often this is referred to as a stalemate, although when that term is used by Hollywood in the movies, it usually refers to a situation where everything is roughly equal. In chess that can occur as well, for instance if each player has a centralized King and one rook - all other pieces and pawns having been captured and taken off the board moves earlier. In those types of positions, the players will often agree to a gentlemen's draw. __________________ . "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing." ~ Isaiah Berlin ~

01-29-2009, 04:44 AM	#11 (permalink)
Jaz Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 87	Then again I guess it doesn't matter much if you are playing with your friends. I mean he managed to push me into the corner and he clearly had me dominated in that game, so it wasn't too difficult to tell him "whatever, man" after he had jumped up from the table claiming he had won the game. It would have been a different story however if we had played for money as we usually do here with other games (I won't tell you which ones, but I can give you a hint - it starts with "poker" . Anyway next time I will be smarter. If my opponents jumps up and says he had won the game after the stalemate, I will just point him to this thread and say, "look, the internet is on my side"

01-29-2009, 07:14 AM	#12 (permalink)
Dulce Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 76	Originally Posted by Jaz Then again I guess it doesn't matter much if you are playing with your friends. I mean he managed to push me into the corner and he clearly had me dominated in that game, so it wasn't too difficult to tell him "whatever, man" after he had jumped up from the table claiming he had won the game. It would have been a different story however if we had played for money as we usually do here with other games (I won't tell you which ones, but I can give you a hint - it starts with "poker" . Anyway next time I will be smarter. If my opponents jumps up and says he had won the game after the stalemate, I will just point him to this thread and say, "look, the internet is on my side" Usually when you're down all those peices and don't see any possible way win, its best to go for a stalemate and rob your opponent of the victory. There is now worse feeling than thinking you got the game in the bag and find out that after all that work you gut suckered into a stalemate. lol

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