Chapter 03 · Beginner · 3 min
Checkmate
Checkmate means the king is attacked and nothing works. The game ends there. No need to actually capture the king; he got the memo.
Explanation
Checkmate arrives when failure no longer has any solution.
For checkmate to occur, two things must be true: the king is under attack, and no legal response can save him. He cannot flee, the attacker cannot be captured, and the line cannot be blocked.
The king is never actually captured. The game ends before then. Checkmate demonstrates that the king would fall no matter what. It's more elegant, and it avoids pretending to pick up a king on the board.
To remember
Checkmate = king attacked + no defense possible. The game ends immediately.
Classic error
Wanting to capture the king. In chess, we don't capture him: we prove that he can no longer escape.
Player Tip
To subdue, you must attack the king and cover his escape squares. Both count.