LaviChess

Stalemate: when nobody wins after all

Stalemate means the player to move has no legal move but is not in check. Then the game is over, and it is a draw. Stalemate has saved many lost games, and cost many won ones.

What is stalemate?

Stalemate is when the player to move has no legal move, and the king is not in check. Then the game is over at once, and it is a draw. Both players get half a point, however much material one side has left.

The difference from checkmate is the check itself. In checkmate the king is in check and can't be saved, and that side has lost. In stalemate the king isn't in check, but every move it could make is against the rules, because it would put the king in check. And the other pieces, if there are any, can't move either.

abcdefgh87654321
Stalemate: Black is to move and the king on h8 is not in check, but every square around it is attacked. A draw, even though White is a whole queen up.
abcdefgh87654321
Stalemate in a pawn endgame: the king on e8 has no square, and it can't capture the pawn on e7 because White's king protects it.

The queen trap

The most common stalemate happens when the side that is ahead has a queen and the other side only a king. The queen takes away squares, and suddenly there are none left. It is especially dangerous when the queen stands a knight's move from a king in the corner.

abcdefgh87654321
A classic trap: the queen stands a knight's move from the king in the corner. The king on a8 has no square, but it is not in check. Stalemate.

Try it yourself

abcdefgh87654321
White to move and mate. But watch out: one of the natural moves is stalemate.
abcdefgh87654321
This is what happens after Qg6: Black is to move, isn't in check and has no move. Stalemate.

How to avoid stalemate

  • Look at your opponent's moves before you make yours. Especially when your opponent has only the king left, or the king and a few blocked pawns.
  • Ask yourself: does the king have any square left after my move? If the answer is no, and it isn't in check, it is stalemate.
  • Leave the king a square while you bring up your own king. The mate will come anyway.
  • Think about promotion. Sometimes a rook is better than a queen, precisely to avoid stalemate. See promotion.

Stalemate as a rescue

The side that is behind can use stalemate as a last resort. If you only have the king and a few pawns left, it can pay to look for a position where you have no moves. The pawn endgame above is a good example. White is a pawn up, but Black's king is in the way, and when White tries to push through, it is stalemate. King and pawn against king often ends in a draw in just that way.

Did you know?

  • In everyday English, a stalemate is a situation where nobody can make progress. The word comes from chess.
  • Stalemate is one of several ways to reach a draw. You will find the others on the page about draws.
  • Stalemate applies to the whole side, not just the king. If Black has a pawn that can move, or another piece that can move, it isn't stalemate.

Frequently asked questions

What is stalemate in chess?

Stalemate is when the player to move has no legal move and their king is not in check. The game then ends in a draw.

Do you win by stalemate?

No. Stalemate is always a draw, however much material one side has. Both players get half a point.

What is the difference between stalemate and checkmate?

In checkmate the king is in check and can't be saved, and that side has lost. In stalemate the king is not in check, but there is no legal move, and the game is a draw.

How do you avoid stalemate?

Look at your opponent's moves before you move, especially when your opponent has only the king left. Ask yourself: does the king have any square left after my move? If not, and it isn't in check, it is stalemate.

Updated October 28, 2026