Draw.
Draw
In Step 1 plus and Step 2 plus we started the lesson on draws and stalemates with this diagram.
You can see 3 drawn positions in the diagram.
On the top left in the board with the yellow edge you can no longer mate. Draw.
In the board with the white edge on the top right the bishop cannot deliver mate on its own. Draw because of insufficient material.
In the section with the blue edge White is stalemated and that too means a draw.
- In this lesson we shall deal with:
- insufficient material
- stalemate
- perpetual check
- perpetual attack
- draw by agreement
Insufficient material
In both halves of the board the material superiority is not enough for a win. Stalemate would work, but that also earns no more than half a point.
Six points more
Two knights more is not enough for a win. It is remarkable, but with six points more White still cannot win.
Almost trapped
The black king is on the edge and has almost been driven into the corner. We shall see why that is not sufficient.
Exchange ahead
In both halves there is a drawn position. The side with the rook can try to win, but he will not succeed against good defence.
The correct corner and the wrong one
The side with the bishop must take care that the king is not driven into the wrong corner. Wrong means that the corner square is the same colour as that on which the bishop operates. Below, Black loses. In the top half Black is stalemated after the rook move displayed.
Getting rid of the last pawn
Black still has a pawn and that would be enough for a win. It is White's move and he must take the pawn at any cost.
Both pawns have to disappear
It is tempting to take a pawn straight away. But grabbing one pawn is not enough. Black must capture both pawns. He is a bishop down.
Insufficient material
Black must get rid of the c-pawn. That works because the white bishop is awkwardly placed. That will become clear in the next screen.
Stalemate
What have we already learned about stalemate?
First of all we make sure that we do not give away half a point unnecessarily.
- Avoiding stalemate: you are ahead in material but there is a very great danger of stalemate.
- Getting out of a stalemate position: your opponent is stalemated but fortunately it is your move.
Stalemate is an excellent way of drawing lost positions.
In a lost position we defend by stalemate.
- Forcing it: you are behind in material and you give your last piece away.
- Provoking it: you lose material and you have to put your king in a 'safe' position.
Forcing stalemate
White must give away a rook in a cunning manner. Clever, because White is not yet stalemated. The king can still go to a4
Large enough material advantage
White has no hope unless he can save himself by stalemate. Black still has a pawn.
Loss of the queen
Black has just given the apparently winning discovered attack Be8-f7+. White has a surprising way to save the game.
A hiding place for the king
Taking the queen is clearly not good enough. The king has too many squares at its disposal for a stalemate. The king has to go even further among the black pieces.
A passed pawn cannot be stopped
How should White stop the h-pawn? It is clearly impossible. Nor is a draw possible by stalemate or insufficient material as long as there is a black queen on the board.
We shall have to employ a new drawing weapon to secure the half point.
Too few attacking pieces
Situations like the one in the diagram often occur. White has enthusiastically gone for Black's throat. But that has cost him material and now White does not have enough material left to deliver mate. At this point a perpetual check is a good way out.
The king may not be able to escape
In perpetual check the opposing king must not be able to escape. Where must the black queen give check from?
Hopelessly behind?
White is no less than two knights down. Despite that he can draw.
The attack is going nowhere
White has gone far with his attack. Black has defended well and is threatening to bring in another defender with Bf5.
Fortunately for White the g7-square is a hard one to defend.
Offering a draw
In this position White is a pawn up. On the whole, he has no chance of winning. Black moves his bishop back and forward between h6 and c1.
There are two ways for this position to end as a draw. both players can keep making the same move and so repeat the position three times. The draw can then be claimed.
The second option is the offer of a draw. You are only allowed to do that when it is your move. It is White's move here and he wants to offer a draw. he must make his move and then he may offer a draw. The opponent can accept or refuse this offer by answering or by making a move.
Summing up
In chess there are various ways in which a draw can be reached. We have treated almost all the ways in this lesson. A game can end as a draw by:
Insufficient material
There is too little material to deliver mate or the material superiority is not enough to win the game with best play
stalemate
Forcing stalemate is an important weapon in the endgame. You give away your pieces which can still move.
Perpetual check
The opposing king cannot escape the checks.
Perpetual attack
The attack is aimed at a piece other than the king.
Agreement
White or Black offers a draw and the offer is accepted.
The end
That is the end of the lesson on draws.
There are exercises with stalemate, perpetual check and insufficient material.
