Why is a game of chess considered a draw?

  • Thread starter Thread starter TylerH
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Chess
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers around the concepts of checkmate and stalemate in chess, particularly as experienced in the game Chess Titans on Windows 7. The initial confusion arises from a misunderstanding of checkmate, where it is clarified that for a situation to be checkmate, the opposing king must be in check and unable to move. The example provided illustrates a stalemate scenario where White has no legal moves left, but the king is not in check, resulting in a draw rather than a win for Black. The conversation also touches on the importance of developing a solid opening strategy, with a suggestion to study the Sicilian Defense for its complexity and potential advantages for Black.
TylerH
Messages
729
Reaction score
0
I don't get it. It looks like checkmate...

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

Attachments

  • Capture2.jpg
    Capture2.jpg
    41.8 KB · Views: 497
  • Capture.jpg
    Capture.jpg
    46.1 KB · Views: 516
Physics news on Phys.org
These examples are 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! **
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Oh! I thought it was enough to block the king from having any moves that will not put it in check.
 
Hehe, no. You have to check the king with some figure. If he can't move while in check, then you win. Check-mate!
 
TylerH said:
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.
 
Nope - the king has to be threatened for it to be checkmate.
 
Hehe. The state of affairs on the board isn't good for the black and white King.
 
Willowz said:
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.
 
Good luck. Start right away with Sicilian. It's supposedly the toughest and most rewarding (for black that is).
 

Similar threads

How Do Players Cheat in Chess?
Replies
42
Views
4K
WIRED on Intl Master of Chess beat online by an Unknown Player
Replies
35
Views
3K
Chess VS Video Games.... Which Is Easier To Quit?
Replies
9
Views
3K
Zero K proof that a chess position contains a checkmate
Replies
2
Views
1K
How Does Scoring Simplify Chess Rating Systems?
Replies
2
Views
2K
Is chess fundamentally harder to "effectively" solve than Go?
Replies
29
Views
5K
What's your favourite chess opening?
Replies
12
Views
2K
So, anyone up for a game of quantum chess?
Replies
6
Views
2K
Video games have become a joke (way too easy to finish)
Replies
16
Views
2K
Best early game strategy for chess
Replies
14
Views
3K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top