Stalemate happens when the player whose turn it is is not in check but has no legal moves. The game is a draw, even if the other side is far ahead in material.
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The difference between stalemate and checkmate comes down to one question: is the king in check?
| King in check? | Any legal move? | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checkmate | Yes | No | Loss |
| Stalemate | No | No | Draw |
King in check?
- Checkmate
- Yes
- Stalemate
- No
Any legal move?
- Checkmate
- No
- Stalemate
- No
Result
- Checkmate
- Loss
- Stalemate
- Draw
Being a queen up and ending in stalemate hurts. When you are winning, always leave the enemy king one square to breathe until the checkmate is ready.
