Chess: how is this a draw?

[TylerH]

I don't get it. It looks like checkmate...

By the way, I was playing Chess Titans, which comes with MS Windows 7.

[Willowz]

These examples are stalemates (https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Stalemate) which conclude the game in a draw. No further moves can be made on the board given the position (for black and white** in your pictures). The game cannot continue and no victor can be declared.

EDIT: mistake! **

[TylerH]

Oh! I thought it was enough to block the king from having any moves that will not put it in check.

[Willowz]

Hehe, no. You have to check the king with some figure. If he can't move while in check, then you win. Check-mate!

[Janus]

I don't get it. It looks like checkmate...

By the way, I was playing Chess Titans, which comes with MS Windows 7.

For it to be a checkmate, the king has to be in check which is not the case.
So in the first case it is White's move. The pawn is immovable and the only open spaces for the king are guarded by black pieces. Since the rules do not allow you to make a move that puts your king in check, White is left with no legal move and the game is over.

[Disconnected]

Nope - the king has to be threatened for it to be checkmate.

[Willowz]

Hehe. The state of affairs on the board isn't good for the black and white King.

[TylerH]

Hehe. The state of affairs on the board isn't good for the black and white King.

Yeah, I just started studying it seriously today. I need to work on my opening game, specifically, on leaving a place for my king to hide.

[Willowz]

Good luck. Start right away with Sicilian. It's supposedly the toughest and most rewarding (for black that is).