How a chess game can end in a draw
How to play chess
How can a chess game end in a draw?
Not every game has a winner. A draw is worth half a point to each player. There are several ways a chess game can be drawn.
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The rules
- Stalemate: the player to move has no legal move and is not in check.
- Agreement: both players agree to a draw.
- Threefold repetition: the same position occurs three times, and a player asks for a draw.
- The 50-move rule: 50 moves each pass with no capture and no pawn move, and a player asks for a draw.
- Insufficient material: neither side has enough pieces to checkmate, for example a king and a knight against a king, as in the diagram.
Common mistakes
- Thinking that repetition is automatic. You normally have to claim it.
- Playing on in a position where checkmate is impossible.
Remember
Five ways to draw: stalemate, agreement, repetition, 50 moves and not enough pieces.
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