Checkmate vs. Stalemate Practice

For each position, tell if it is checkmate, stalemate, or neither.  In each case, it would be Black's turn to move if a move is legal. Recall that you should first check for check!  If the Black king is attacked (in check), you know that stalemate is not possible, and your choice becomes either checkmate or neither.

Answers are provided at the end, but don't cheat!

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(20) Challenge Question!

ANSWERS

(1) Checkmate.

(2) Neither (king takes queen; KxQ)

(3) Stalemate.

(4) Stalemate.

(5) Checkmate.

(6) Stalemate.

(7) Neither (king moves to d7; Kd7)

(8) Checkmate.

(9) Stalemate.

(10) Neither (pawn moves to a3).

(11) Stalemate! (no Black pieces can move).

(12) Neither (king can move to g8; Kg8).

(13) Neither (king can move to d8; Kd8).

(14) Checkmate (Legal's mate)

(15) Checkmate (back rank mate).

(16) Checkmate.

(17) Checkmate.

(18) Neither (king can move to d8; Kd8).

(19) Stalemate.

(20) Stalemate! Actually the quickest stalemate possible in chess: