Chess History Guide
Medieval Chess
[Medieval Baremate]

Medieval Chess
- Medieval Baremate -

Chess History Guide - Medieval Chess - Medieval Baremate The Rule of Baremate is brilliantly simple and fast-acting ... If a King no longer has any of it's own pieces on the board, that's Baremate, since the King is bare of support and the opponent wins the game.

In the video scenario, below, if we were to judge it by the rules of the modern game, the move by White's Rook, to capture Black's Pawn, would not result in an immediate win by White ...

This is because Black's King, while still in deep do-do, would still be able to capture White's Rook and continue to move for a few more turns (unless Black knowingly resigns, of course).

But, because of the Medieval Rule of Baremate, Black suddenly has no more pieces remaining on the board, and immediately loses the game.

I wonder what came first - was Baremate an innovation to combat the tedium of trying to win by Checkmate, with the Rules as they were?

Medieval Chess
- VIDEO: Medieval Baremate -