Check, Checkmate and Stalemate: the Difference
Check means the king is under attack by an enemy piece; the player must deal with the check on their very next move. Checkmate is a check with no way out: the game ends and the player who delivered it wins. Stalemate is when the player to move is not in check but has no legal move at all: the game ends in a draw. The difference between checkmate and stalemate decides a lot of beginner games, so it's worth getting it right.
What is check
A piece gives check when it attacks the enemy king — that is, when it could capture the king on the next move. The king is never actually captured: the rules force the player in check to deal with it immediately.
The three ways out of check
There are only three possible answers to a check. Remember them as move, capture or block:
- Move: step the king to a square that isn't attacked.
- Capture: take the checking piece (with the king or any other piece).
- Block (or interpose): put a piece between the king and the attacker. This doesn't work against a knight check, since the knight jumps, or when the attacker is right next to the king.
If none of the three is possible, it's checkmate.
⚠️ Watch out: you can't make any move that leaves your own king in check. That includes moving a piece that is shielding your king from an attack. In an online game, the system simply won't accept the move.
Double check
Sometimes two pieces give check at the same time. That's a double check. Since one move can't capture or block two attackers, the only way out is to move the king.
Do I have to say "check"?
No. Under the official FIDE rules (FIDE is the International Chess Federation), announcing check isn't required. It's a common habit among friends, but it isn't part of the rules.
What is checkmate
Checkmate (or just mate) is the goal of chess. It's a check where the king can't escape, the attacker can't be captured and the attack can't be blocked. When it happens, the game ends on the spot and whoever delivered mate wins, no matter how much material each side has.
To check whether a check is mate, ask three questions, in this order:
- Does the king have a free square that isn't attacked?
- Can any piece capture the checking piece?
- Can any piece step in between?
Three "no" answers = checkmate.
What is stalemate
Stalemate happens when it's a player's turn, their king is not in check, and they have no legal move — not with the king, and not with any other piece. Under FIDE rules, the game ends immediately in a draw.
It feels unfair to the side with the queen, but that's the rule. Stalemate is the classic trap for the player who's winning: with a big advantage, it's easy to take away every square from the enemy king without giving check, and throw away a certain win.
💡 Tip: when your opponent has only a king left (or pieces that can't move), ask yourself before every move: "after this, will they still have a legal move?" If the answer is no and your move isn't check, it's stalemate.
Is giving check always good?
No. Many beginners check whenever they can, but a check without a plan often just pushes the enemy king to a better square and leaves your piece exposed. Before giving check, ask:
- Does the check win something? For example, it attacks the king and another piece at once, or forces the king onto a worse square.
- Is the checking piece safe? A check with a piece that can be captured is just a quick way to lose it.
- Is there something better? Sometimes a quiet move that takes away the king's escape squares sets up a mate that a hasty check would spoil.
On the other side, when you're in check, don't just pick the first way out you see. Compare all three options (move, capture, block) and choose the one that leaves your position best, as in the first exercise below.
Check, checkmate and stalemate side by side
| Situation | Is the king attacked? | Any legal move? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check | Yes | Yes | The game goes on |
| Checkmate | Yes | No | The player who mated wins |
| Stalemate | No | No | Draw |
Stalemate is only one way to draw. The others (agreement, repetition, the 50-move rule, insufficient material) are covered in draws in chess.
Exercises
Hint
Moving or blocking leaves White's queen on the board. What about capturing?
Show solution
1...Rxe8
1...Rxe8 — the rook on a8 takes the checking queen. Moving (1...Kh7) or blocking (1...Bf8) also gets out of check, but leaves White a whole queen up.
Hint
The white king already takes g7 and g8 away from the black king. The queen has to give check, not just box the king in.
Show solution
1.Qh1#
1.Qh1# — the queen checks down the h-file and the black king has nowhere to go. A move like 1.Qg6?? takes away the king's squares without giving check: Black has no move, and it's stalemate.
Hint
The bishop on d3 is aiming at a square next to the black king.
Show solution
1.Qxh7#
1.Qxh7# — the queen takes on h7, protected by the bishop on d3. The king can't take her, h8 is also covered by the queen, f8 is blocked by Black's own rook, and f7 and g7 by Black's pawns.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between checkmate and stalemate?
In checkmate the king is attacked and can't escape: the player who mated wins. In stalemate the king is not attacked, but the player has no legal move: the game is a draw.
Is stalemate a win or a draw?
A draw, under the FIDE Laws of Chess.
How do you get out of check?
Three ways: move the king, capture the checking piece, or block the line with another piece. Against a double check, only moving the king works.
Can a king give check?
Not directly. A king can never stand next to the other king, because it would be walking into check. So the king doesn't give check on its own, but it's a huge help in delivering mate by covering escape squares.
Can I put myself in check on purpose?
No. A move that leaves your own king in check is illegal and won't be accepted.
To drill the mates that come up most often at the end of a game, see basic checkmates with queen and rook.