Check, checkmate and draws
How you win, how you draw, and the dreaded back-rank mate.
Check and checkmate
A king is in check when an enemy piece attacks it. There are three ways out: move the king, capture the checking piece or block the check with a piece.
If none of the three is possible, it is checkmate and the game is over.
The back-rank mate
A castled king with its three pawns unmoved can get trapped on the back rank. Before launching an attack, give your king a “window” by moving one of those pawns.
Mate in one move.
Draws
The game ends in a draw when:
- Stalemate: the side to move is not in check but has no legal moves.
- Insufficient material: neither side can deliver mate (for example, king versus king).
- Threefold repetition of the same position.
- The 50-move rule without captures or pawn moves.
- Agreement between the players.
In games with a clock, if you run out of time you lose, unless your opponent does not have enough material to mate you: then it is a draw.