How is this a stalemate? Isn't it supposed to be a checkmate??

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spurrthespurrow

Sure

Ilampozhil25
please, please, please make sense
the definition of stalemate is: "player to move doesnt have a legal move, but isnt in check"
its simple but no one gets it correct
magipi

Most languages just call it "mate", but English kindly calls it "checkmate", trying to ensure that there is no confusion, even beginners will see that a check is required. Apparently even that's not enough.

eric0022
thunder6131 wrote:

but u can move other pieces

Llampozhil25 was making a point that if the OP concluded that the position in the OP's post was checkmate (since the king cannot move as he mentioned in post #2), then his given position would also be valid.

eric0022
spurrthespurrow wrote:

I have the white king cornered in every direction. He can't move left, right, diagonally, or upwards. So, why is this considered a stalemate and not a checkmate???????

Unlike some other games such as xiangqi (Chinese chess) where "stalemate" is a win for the stalemating player, it is not the case for the game of English chess.

Normally, you would want to allow the king room to move before delivering the final check. Having four queens on the board increases the risk of stalemate, so you have to be very careful about promoting to four queens

(We might think that promoting to multiple queens means having the agenda of torturing our opponent, but we would become a laughing stock if we fall to the victim of our own agenda - splitting half a point equally to both players when we could have earned the full point)

Kyobir

The checkmate expired 7 years ago

gik-tally
spurrthespurrow wrote:

damn that an annoying rule

no it isn't! I love that and the "draw by 3 fold repetition" rule! i've drawn a bunch of games with my lone king facing ARMIES of idiots tripping over each other's feet and have drawn games against QUEEN PAIRS a few times. that's what happens when idiots try to show off instead of just sticking to the basics. in fact, i generally promote to ROOKS if that's all i need to win an endgame 1. for style and 2. to minimize stalemates.

there's a reason they're called CHECKmates and not THREATmates

gik-tally
Kyobir wrote:

The checkmate expired 7 years ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkTb9GP9lVI

BOWTOTHETOAST
spurrthespurrow wrote:
R00KB4 wrote:
 

If I had moved the a7 Queen to b8 instead, that would have forced a checkmate, right?

Yeah.