Checkmate in chess
How to play chess
What is checkmate in chess?
Checkmate ends the game. It happens when a king is in check and there is no way to escape: he cannot move to a safe square, the attacker cannot be captured, and the attack cannot be blocked. The player who gives checkmate wins.
| ● | ♚ | ||||||
| ● | ♟ | ♟ | ♟ | ||||
| ● | |||||||
| ● | |||||||
| ● | |||||||
| ● | |||||||
| ● | |||||||
| ♖ | ● | ● | ● | ♔ |
The green dots show where the piece can go; a green frame is a capture.
The rules
- In the diagram, the rook moving to a8 is checkmate: the black king on g8 is trapped by his own pawns and cannot escape.
- This is called a back-rank mate, one of the most common checkmates in beginner games.
- Checkmate is not captured: the king is never taken. The game just stops.
- Always check whether your move gives the opponent a way to checkmate you before you play it.
Common mistakes
- Leaving your own king boxed in by your own pawns with no escape square.
- Missing a checkmate in one when it is there to play.
Remember
Check with no escape is checkmate, and the game is won.