How to avoid a stalemate in chess. An illegal move (ie. How to avoid a stalemate in chess

 
 An illegal move (ieHow to avoid a stalemate in chess Posted by u/RyanGuyW - No votes and 34 commentsJoin IM Danny Rensch as he explains why he believes stalemates becoming wins could revitalize many areas of chess knowledge that has been deemed drawable by

Stalemate can be used as a defensive tool when you’re losing a game. 07K subscribers Subscribe 28K views 2 years ago HOW TOs AND TIPS You are completely won, then 💥. Sometimes, grandmasters find creative ways to avoid losing by making use of the stalemate rule. This might sound like a noob move, but it goes in a long way in showing you how to prevent stalemate in chess. . Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. Just play out the logic of checkmates in your head. If there is, that side is declared the loser. Stalemate is one of the drawing rules of chess. #11. If the player cannot move out of danger and away from check, this is considered checkmate, and the game is over. This immediately ends the game. A stalemate happens when the King is not in check. If you have an advantage, the last thing you want is for your nearly beaten opponent to find a way to draw. Avoiding stalemate in chess requires a combination of strategic thinking, foresight, and careful planning. How to Avoid Stalemate in Chess. According to the rules of chess, a stlemate (draw) occurs when the player whose turn it is to move has no legal move. How to Avoid Stalemate in Chess. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. Here are some common mistakes to avoid: Mistake 1: Using Stalemate And Checkmate InterchangeablyLearn 3 Ways To Improve Your Chess ResultsFREE Masterclass Your Chess Skills To The Next Level With High-Quality. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. Stalemate is today’s theme and we will show we can use startling chess tactics to achieve the aim. Luckily, chess has a rule known as "threefold repetition," which states that a game ends in a draw if an identical position is reached three times in the same game, avoiding the silly notion of sitting at the chessboard indefinitely. Last updated: Jun 7, 2021 • 3 min read. Improve this answer. This happens sometimes in the endgame, when there are not many pieces on the board. But after I cornered my opponent's king, and the bot or human is down to the last rook or queen, it is going on a rampage to sacrifice that last moving piece. You are correct that the Black king cannot move and, since Black has no other pieces, Black has no legal moves. Stalemate is part of chess and it is an art. In other words if you've figured out how to detect check and checkmate, you've already got everything necessary to detect stalemate. handlebearz. That was. Accordingly, the result is a draw by stalemate. Read Now!When we talk about a stalemate in chess we can mean two absolutely different things. e4 Nf6 2. Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. Stalemate is a type of draw in chess and happens when a player whose turn it is to move, doesn't have any legal moves to. The most common draw I have is stalemate due to no legal moves which is because all I have is a rook and a king and I’m trying to corner the opponents king but I end up putting them in a spot where there are no legal moves forcing a draw which is the worst feeling in the world. Leave a piece for the opponent that. I have had two games in the last few weeks where I was way ahead in material, and getting ready to set up the checkmate. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. Even if you have a clear material advantage with many more pieces than your opponent, if your opponent has no. Common Mistakes To Avoid. If you can force a draw you are not clearly losing regardless of material disadvantage. In order to further trap the King into smaller box, the Rook must be moved since it’s the piece that removes ranks and files that the enemy King can move to. In chess, not being able to make a legal move while not in check is a stalemate. How to avoid a stalemate? Follow these simple tips to avoid a stalemate: When in doubt, give your opponent room to move. If they can’t win, they may try to stalemate their opponent and force a draw. Stalemate: Should be CHECKMATE next move!! Watch on. When you stalemate, you cannot checkmate, it’s as simple as that. Stalemate results in a draw. As a metaphor, consider you have a huge army outside a castle. This ends the game in a draw. Stalemate. #4. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. Stalemate is a kind of draw that happens when one side has NO legal moves to make. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. Wikipedia states that a stalemate is a situation in chess where the player whose turn it is to move has no legal moves but is not in check. f. 00 EST. Do Not Capture Every Chess Piece: Avoid capturing every. This is a simple question that deserves a simple answer: This position is neither checkmate or stalemate. Always trap an edged king by playing your queen to the row besides it (here the 2nd row). Stalemate is a situation in chess where the player whose turn it is to move has no legal move and is not in check. Moreover, there are certain positions in which promoting a pawn to anything but a queen helps in winning the game more quickly. An illegal move (ie. Best way to avoid stalemates in the end game is to calculate where your opponent can go if you move your piece to x square, or keep checking them until you find the mate. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. Generalmemeobi283 • 2 days ago. The course "Chess for Beginners" consists of 75 lessons and is suitable for kids and novice chess player with ELO rating 0 – 1400 - 1600. Discover rules, tips & example. In order for checkmate to occur, three conditions have to be met: . At the highest levels of chess, stalemate is less common, as players are less likely to make mistakes that result in a stalemate. Stalemate in Chess is evolved. The stalemate rule is one that catches out many inexperienced players, and sometimes experienced ones too ! The stalemate rule is over 200 years old and although it may appear silly to you, abandoning it would mean throwing 200 years worth of chess analysis in the bin. The game is a clear draw. Strategies of How to Avoid Stalemate in Chess 1. The main reason to not promote a pawn to a queen is to avoid the stalemate that could occur in the very next move if the pawn is promoted to a queen. So don’t confuse this with a checkmate. As the following game demonstrates, even. Personally I like the current rules. I looked at your games and it happened only once. When you are the one trying to avoid stalemating your opponent, there are 2 things to do. Keep the enemy King in the center. But since I am around 1750, everybody knows how to avoid stalemate in winning position. In this video, I give you 5 tips to avoid stalemate in chess, so you can. magipi. 0. By mastering different checkmating techniques, you increase the likelihood of delivering a decisive victory. In chess, a stalemate occurs when a player is unable to move and forces a draw. Ukraine has not reached a stalemate in its war with Russia because the west can help Kyiv by “dropping five more queens on the board”, according to an influential. Also, to get a stalemate at 1750 rating, the loosing person has to force a stalemate because everybody knows how to avoid stalemate from their end but 90% do not know how to avoid stalemate from the opponents end and out of those 10%, 6 do not have the patience to calculate. The threefold-repetition rule says that if a position arises three times in a game, either player can claim a draw during that position. Sometimes, grandmasters find creative ways to avoid losing by making use of the stalemate rule. A resource that typically appears in the endgame is stalemate. two queens and a rook vs a bare king). When one person has a queen, and a king and the other player only has a king, it is known as a queen and king vs. Personally, I think the strongest argument against stalemate being a win for the stalemated side is that it means that (other than lone king against lone king) any lone king can win via stalemate and that would require a lone king winning on. This is what happens in numerous games of less. Three, you move your king into a position where it's a forced stalemate (or your. 2. 7. That keeps the king trapped for the kill while it retains some wiggling room. two queens and a rook vs a bare king). Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. If you are truly trying to fight to the bitter end, looking for a stalemate, and get mated, fine. Therefore, it has to move, but since it can’t, it is considered a checkmate. You stop it by seeing it coming and avoiding it if possible, basically. If you checkmate somebody, then you win! Stalemate is when the king is not in check, and has no legal moves. konhidras. You can read my article Stalemate Vs Checkmate: Helpful Guide For. 1 The squarea pawn lands on when it reached the eighth rank. A frequent motive is the "untouchable rook", where the last mobile piece, a rook, keeps checking the enemy king. g. Endgame Patterns: The stalemate pattern in pawn endgames. . The video below details how stalemates happen very, very well. Suicide Chess. Stalemates, like Checkmates, occur when there are no more lawful moves to make. Only when both conditions are met, the game ends in a stalemate. #7. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. And then we will provide a simple, Home Play. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. This adds endgame complexity because. On the other hand, a stalemate occurs when the king isn’t under attack, but the player lacks any legal alternatives to continue playing. Your opponent is wrong, if he doesn't want a draw by repetition, he shouldn't leave his position so weak he has no choice. Stalemate occurs if the player to move is not in check but does not have any legal moves. Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. Chess is all about learning from experience. Conversely, those who are winning must avoid this situation. However, the game ends in a draw if neither side can make progress in under 50 moves. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. Aug 11, 2023. Insufficient material. However, by implementing the following proactive strategies and tactics, you will be able to outsmart your opponents and avoid stalemate situations altogether. Draw by insufficient material. Instead, the king and queen must work together to finish the game. This may seem a pedantic point but it's still important. Your king alone is not enough, and your queen alone is not enough. There are six ways to draw a game of chess: 1. If the king is NOT in check, but no piece can be moved without putting the king in check, then the game will end with a stalemate draw! In this position black is not in check, however he has no other legal move to make without. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. Luckily, chess has a rule known as "threefold repetition," which states that a game ends in a draw if an identical position is reached three times in the same game, avoiding the silly notion of sitting at the chessboard indefinitely. Watch. However, black’s pieces are attacking every square white’s king could possibly move to. If you can force a draw you are not clearly losing regardless of material disadvantage. Active King Role: 2. Common Causes of Stalemate. Kg3! and black can’t avoid getting mated. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. The main difference between stalemate and checkmate is that the game ends in a draw in a stalemate, while in a checkmate, the player delivering the checkmate wins, and the opponent loses the game. Make sure their King is in check. This type of draw is not the same as a stalemate, so it is a forced draw, not a forced stalemate. The game is drawn when a position has arisen in which neither player can checkmate the opponent’s king with any series of legal moves. A stalemate happens when there are no legal moves left to make on your turn and your king is not in check. But Black is not in check. The key to avoiding a stalemate is to always keep your options open. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. supervise: 12. Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. Under-Promoting a Pawn to Avoid Stalemate Example #1. 72. Because it is. A stalemate is an end game position in chess when neither player can, or has the right to put the opponent’s king into checkmate. In this case, the game is a draw. In this video, I give you 5 tips to avoid stalemate in chess, so you can. Rf8 Rxf8 2. If one opponent has such an advantage that they can mate with pieces, and the other opponent has no available moves but a King move, then they should be able to mate without creating a stalemate position. Google how to checkmate (specifically ladder mate) Google what stalemate actually is. Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. This is also an obvious automatic end to the game:Check occurs when you or your opponent’s king is under attack and threatened to be captured by another piece. Solve Stalemate Puzzles . A player who has been winning up until that point may see their entire game collapse because of one move. Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. You are completely won, then one small mistake, and the game is a draw by stalemate. Here is my proposal. The main difference between checkmate and stalemate is simple. It is not at all the same thing as a draw. A lot of chess beginners ask questions about how to avoid stalemating the opponent from an overwhelmingly won position (e. Allow the opponent king a room to move in a restricted area while you build up a checkmating net. The Mirage of Simplification 5. John was losing. Table of Contents. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. -K or K+B-vs. However, in a stalemate, the opponent’s king doesn’t get checkmated because it is a condition in which the king is not in check and the player has no legal moves to continue the game. This is like in a war the king is trapped in his room with the enemy knocking on the door, he has nowhere to go, so the army just leaves and he walks out of the room. Step 3: Trap The King Into Smaller Boxes. This particular stalemate pattern though is the first one every player should learn (to avoid) as it is by far the most common stalemate. Make sure all your pawns are blocked and can't move. The three positions can happen at any point in the game. It is a critical rule to know for various endgame positions that helps one side hold a draw. Therefore, the attacker cannot claim a victory. The game can't go on forever, after all. More simply a stalemate is where there are. The game is said to end in ‘stalemate’. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Even books about combinations have a chapter dedicated on stalemates. Kxc5 White has. e7+ Ke8 5. 0. Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. e4 Nf6. Having a Stalemate in a completely winning position is quite frustrating. A stalemate is a draw and not a win because the king is not in check. If the king is NOT in check,. Today I want to share with you a problem that was very instructive for me. Different chess engines also use very different algorithms (e. This can be frustrating for the other player and may cause them to lose. 1 Answer. Move your king to c2. The main difference between stalemate and checkmate is that the game ends in a draw in a stalemate, while in a checkmate, the player delivering the checkmate wins, and the opponent loses the game. The threefold repetition is a fundamental rule for chess players to know because it can save them from losing a game, even when they are in a bad position. A draw is the most likely outcome, but a deeper search might show that white can force a win. Castling for a pin isn’t the only possible motivation though. To avoid king and pawn stalemate, ensure that the opponent has at least one legal move available after your move. The white rook on b7 gives check to the black king. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. If you are confident that you know the rules of the game, skip the "What is stalemate?"The fifty-move rule in chess states that a player can claim a draw if no capture has been made and no pawn has been moved in the last fifty moves (for this purpose a "move" consists of a player completing a turn followed by the opponent completing a turn). To stalemate yourself, you need to make sure that your king is not in check and that you have no legal moves left. This rule was created to avoid games repeating indefinitely because players were making the same moves again and again. The point is to achieve a stalemate, not a draw. However, the similarities end there. By defintion stalemate is. g. To accept their defeat. Stalemate is one of the types of draws in chess. Yes, and it is not even a particularly rare occurrence. More simply a stalemate is where. To quote the r/chessbeginners FAQs page: . Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. Learn. How to Stalemate. Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. The game is said to end in a ‘dead position’. Players can achieve a forced draw by employing a perpetual check and forcing their opponent to keep repeating the same moves. keep your bishops on opposite coloured squares (fianchettoing) and never move them out of the colour they started on. you can't make the move that makes the game a stalemate). Puzzles. Oct 18, 2021. Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. To avoid a stalemate in chess, it is important to always be aware of the positions of your pieces. Analyze your opponent’s possible moves and consider how they may respond to your next move. In each puzzle below, you have to either avoid or provoke a stalemate. Stalemates in chess are intriguing and sometimes unexpected outcomes that can catch even experienced players off guard. Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. Stalemate Tactics / Example #2. Especially for the professionals. In this case, his pawn is blocked, so it can't move, and as for his king. Always keep in mind the difference between Stalemate and Checkmate. 133K subscribers in the chessbeginners community. Make sure your king has no legal moves. Putting your opponent in check ensures that you do not fall into the stalemate trap as a stalemate cannot occur if your opponent’s king is in check. As for an entirely. A part of converting a winning advantage to an actual win is to avoid stalemate/perpetual check/getting checkmated. If you’re winning, nothing is fun about stalemate. That may be a good way to prevent stalemate, but it often results in draws due to three-fold repetition (of the position) or the 50-move draw (50 moves by both players with no captures or pawn moves). Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. Click here to see video! I hope that this helps!A win for the player who got stalemated. Often during the endgame the player who is behind in material seeks stalemate in order to avoid losing the game. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. In case it matters, those other draw rules will not be enforced at all. 5. But today, I learned about stalemate and a match ending in a draw when it occurs. You can say a stalemate is a forced draw. But everything you add to a competitive game is gonna take skill to use. Putting your opponent in check ensures that you do not fall into the stalemate trap as a stalemate cannot occur if your opponent’s king is in check. #5. If you separate the meaning of stalemate, then it is understood differently. gxf8=R {stalemate in case of queen promotion, unable to win if promoting to a minor piece} 1-0 Bishop promotion These are the rarest of the bunch. 0. RodriguezDubai Olympiad, 1986. It means you are not in check, but you cannot make a legal move. Good lord, this thread is a mess, with people giving misinformation (you can give checkmate with two knights, but it can't be forced). The threefold-repetition rule says that if a position arises three times in a game, either player can claim a draw during that position. In both a stalemate and a checkmate, the king has nowhere to go. While white’s king appears to be in danger, he is not attacked. For checkmate to happen, your opponent’s king must be in check with no legal moves available. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. It’s a stalemate when the king is. Let's try to define what is a stalemate! Also read: 13 Valuable Chess Tricks And Lessons. "Stalemate is a situation in the game of chess where the player whose turn it is to move is not in check but has no legal move. . By mastering different checkmating techniques, you increase the likelihood of delivering a decisive victory. - It's obvious that white must promote a pawn to win. 0In chess you cannot at any time perform a move that would put your own king in check. Thu 23 Nov 2023 00. Stalemate is a term that is often used in chess near the end of the game. What's really stupid is thinking you should get the win when you were stupid enough to let your opponent put you in a position where you can't. ago. Additionally, you should also keep an eye on your opponent's pieces, making sure that they are not in a position to trap your king in a stalemate. This results in a draw. The objective of the game is checkmate, which means to be in check and unable to escape. They realize that they can’t win and even end the game into a forced draw like a stalemate. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. By mastering different checkmating techniques, you increase the likelihood of delivering a decisive victory. Here is a breakdown of tips to follow for preventing a stalemate in chess: Learn How to Checkmate: The best way to avoid stalemate is to improve your checkmating skills. A stalemate is a draw and not a win because the king is not in check. Stalemate is not just some "cheap shot" to avoid defeat. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. In the first round of IM not a GM John Bartholomew had a dirty flag trap that reminded me of this Eric Rosen stalemate video. This blog. How to avoid stalemating your opponent It sounds easy, but it is anything but: always double-check whether your opponent has a legal follow-up move to yours, especially in positions when you’re. The rook then moves right next to the opposing king and delivers a check with no protection. Make every move you make a check B. The chess stalemate is a type of drawing that occurs when a player is not checked, but there are no legal moves to continue the game. That's the situation here where upon your capturing the bishop, the White king cannot move without placing itself in check, which is illegal. Stalemate is a situation in chess where the player whose turn it is to move is not in check and has no legal move. 0. In the forerunners to modern chess, such as chaturanga, delivering stalemate resulted in a loss. This is a quite an obvious case. To avoid king and pawn stalemate, ensure that the opponent has at least one legal move available after your move. . Alpenschach. Stalemate can occur knowingly as well as unknowingly. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. A stalemate is always preferable in a losing game and. Yea that was part of the frustration with it lol chess. The best way to avoid stalemate are to give check or back off and make sure the king has room to move. That's a variant. This ends the game immediately as a draw . How to Avoid Stalemate in Chess. Of course, you cannot move your king next to the opponent’s king,. The answer is it depends. Read this guide to find out all you need to know about what a stalemate is. Why Do I Keep Getting Stalemate in Chess. You should get a loss. Solve Stalemate Puzzles Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. 4 Tips to AVOID Stalemate | Chess Tips michechess 3. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. Choose one of the two move options to reach your goal. Since it yields only minimal points, you should avoid a stalemate whenever possible. The answer must be specific, such as “Her king will move to a7. Well, there’s one more – 50 king moves with no other legal moves – but this almost never occurs outside of scholastic tournaments. Alekhine’s Defense: Brooklyn Variation – 1. 3 conditions for Checkmate. To avoid stalemate, one should always think multiple moves ahead. Keep your opponent’s king in check: This is the most effective way to prevent a stalemate. In chess one side is stalemated when it is no longer able to make a move but at the same time its king is not in check. Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. How to Avoid Stalemate in Chess. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. In Chess, if your opponent can not make a move, the game is considered a stalemate. fxe5 d6 3. When I let them know that they have other pieces that can move the emphatic response is that their coach (maybe a relative) told them stalemate happened when the king had no moves and that the game was over. , Leela Chess Zero is based on neural networks, RL, and MCTS, while Stockfish and Komodo use other approaches, including opening databases, list of hard-coded heuristics, etc. Stalemate is just one of the several ways in which a chess game can end in a draw. And I frequently see either or both of the following bits of well-meant advice given: “Make sure every move is a check, so it can’t be stalemate. to avoid that "stalemate" that this game obviously is, try. Stalemate! The game is drawn because Black has no legal moves! Stalemate! Our opponent has no legal moves (since a king can never move into check), and the game is a draw. #3. It occurs when both players have no legal moves left and the King is not in check. One thing to remember is that the repeated positions do not need to be in a row. Side Note: Don’t overdo this till your opponent slips out of reach. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. The best way to avoid stalemate are to give check or back off and make sure the king has room to move. exchange sacrifices, avoidance of simplifications,losts of pieces on the board and square hunting more or less avoids draws. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. In King and Pawn endgames, prevents Pawn from moving to the 8th rank. However, I think the spirit of the game is that the goal is to capture the enemy king. 2 Answers. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. This video shows how to avoid stalemate in King and Queen against King and a practical example of checkmating the KingWhen in completely winning endgames where you're up massive amounts of material, make sure every move you make is a check if you can. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. To quote the r/chessbeginners FAQs page: . However, in a stalemate, neither side wins or loses because the game ends in a draw. Learn how to avoid stalemate in endgames with king and queen, king and rook, or king and pawn vs. Understanding the rules of stalemate is crucial for chess players to avoid. First you must understand just what the problem is, as you would with any problem. This peculiar outcome results in a draw where neither player emerges victorious. Ensure that every move comes with a check. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check. exd6 Qg5 4. When this happens, the king must move, or the piece attacking the king must be captured. Kd6 Kd8 4. In chess, there are a number of ways that a game can end in a draw, neither player winning. Checkmate. (this is the logical conclusion when you take all the other rules into consideration) He cornered himself, commited suicide, he doesnt get a free pass. cxb8=Q Qxg2 6. By the way, in other games such as chinese chess, stalemate is a win for the stalemating player. . Implement the easiest checkmate patterns such as the ladder checkmate. In situations like K-vs. A perpetual check is precisely what it sounds like: a series of checks that could theoretically last forever. Yes, obviously the very first reason why many chess players resign is they want to acknowledge the fact that they will lose the game. Stalemate is often a misunderstood concept that occurs when a player, despite having legal moves available, cannot make any legal move without putting their own king in check.