Many chess tutorials will tell you how to win a game — that’s the end goal of every chess player, after all! But what happens when you find yourself on the verge of defeat? Thankfully, there are techniques you can employ to salvage a game — and one of them is executing a stalemate. While it might involve a sacrifice, like giving up your rook to the opponent’s king, it can also give you a chance to snatch a draw from the jaws of a loss.
Understanding the stalemate: What is it?
A stalemate in chess means the game ends in a draw. It happens when it’s your turn; your king isn’t in check, but you have no legal moves left. Basically, any move you could make would put your king in check, which isn’t allowed.
As you’ll learn in chess tutorials, a stalemate can happen even when you think you’re ahead. Your opponent can cleverly maneuver their pieces to block all your possible moves, forcing a draw.
The strategy behind a stalemate
Sometimes, a draw is the only hope you have of winning when you’re facing a disadvantage. Your coach can teach you how to engineer a stalemate — that is, how to essentially trick your opponent into a draw. If they’re not paying close attention, you can maneuver your pieces to create a stalemate by, for example, positioning yourself in a corner or behind their pawn.
While stalemates are often associated with the endgame when only a few pieces remain, they can also occur during the middlegame. This happens when the board gets complex, even though both players have developed their pieces and their kings are relatively safe.
Remember that a stalemate prevents both players from winning. Ideally, you want to avoid it when you have the advantage. Chess tutorials can provide valuable insights into preventing stalemates. Here are a few key strategies:
- Pay close attention to your opponent’s potential moves. Especially when you’re ahead, anticipate their responses to ensure you don’t accidentally trap them.
- Leave your opponent with legal moves. Avoid cornering them completely. Try to leave at least a couple of open squares to allow you to deliver a checkmate with your next move.
- Prioritize decisive moves. Don’t get bogged down with less powerful pieces if it delays a checkmate and risks creating a stalemate.
Meet the Crazy Rook
While you generally want to avoid stalemates, they can be a lifeline when defeat seems inevitable. That’s where the rook comes in. Our chess tutorials can guide you through this strategy of sacrificing your rook to force a draw.
When to use the Crazy Rook
You can only use the Crazy Rook in a very specific situation: your king must be in a position where it has no legal moves (a potential stalemate), and your rook is your only remaining movable piece. The rook also needs to be positioned close enough to the opponent’s king to deliver a check while also being protected from capture by any pieces that are blocking your own king.
Saving a lost game with a stalemate
In standard chess, a stalemate results in a draw, with each player receiving half a point. It is important to understand that stalemate and zugzwang are different concepts. Zugzwang is a position where any move a player makes worsens their situation, often resulting in the loss of a piece. A player may attempt to force a stalemate, but if that attempt fails, they could end up in a zugzwang position.
More ways to rescue a lost game
Our chess tutorials can equip you with strategies to turn things around when a game seems lost. Aside from endgame mastery, we can also teach you how to analyze every possible move before resigning. You will learn how to evaluate the consequences of each action and search for any remaining opportunities.
Learn the best chess strategies from iChessU
At iChessU, our coaches will work with you to come up with tailored chess tutorials to improve your approach to the game. Sign up for our group or private lessons and be on your way to mastering chess. Your first lesson is free!
