Checkmate Explained
Delivering checkmate and winning at chess
Checkmate
Checkmate (or simply mate ) is a position in which a player's king is in check and there is no legal move to escape the check. This results in the end of the game, with the player delivering the checkmate declared the winner.
The King is in Check with no escape
The king is under direct threat of capture by one or more of the opponent's pieces. There is no legal move available to the player to remove the threat of capture. The king cannot move to a safe square, the threatening piece cannot be captured, and no piece can block the check.
Black to move, but is in check and unable to escape attack - this is Checkmate¹ and white wins.
Piece Coordination
Successful checkmates often involve coordinating multiple pieces to control key squares and limit the opponent's king's movement.
Endgame Techniques
Knowing common checkmating patterns (like the king and rook versus king or king and two bishops versus king) is crucial for converting winning positions in the endgame.
Avoiding Stalemate
When attempting to checkmate, it's important to ensure that the opponent's king has moves to avoid accidentally causing a stalemate, which would result in a draw.