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Stalemate Moves
- Index -

Jump to Stalemate Moves Situation:

- 1. Bishop + Wrong-color Rook-Pawn vs. Lone King
- 2. Fortress Building
- 3. Two Knights vs. Lone King
- 4. Knight + Rook-Pawn on the 7th Rank vs. Lone King
- 5. Perpetual Checks
- 6. Perpetual Pursuits

[ Stalemate Rules ]

In the Basic Chess Strategy attempt, I got totally annihilated in my shot at rescuing ½ a point, by trying to Stalemate my King.

I already knew about the different Rules that triggered a Stalemate:

Stalemate Moves Teaser - Stalemate Rules

However, I'd yet to read up about patterns of movement and positional play that would favor a player who seaks to Draw a game.

It was only after playing out that Basic Chess Strategy game, that I came across the following situations, which, with a bit of practice, would have given me a better chance of achieving the half-reward from a Stalemated game.

← View The Stalemate Rules

Jump to Stalemate Moves Situation:

[ Stalemate Rules ]

Stalemate Moves - Situation 1
- Bishop + Wrong-color Rook-Pawn vs. Lone King -

Stalemate Moves Teaser - Bishop and Wrong-color Rook-Pawn vs. Lone King

Two Bishops, working together, can easily handle a King on its own ...

But, if one of those Bishops gets wiped off the board, the enemy King just has to move on the opposite color squares and that Bishop becomes redundant.

To cap it all, should that player find he's only got Pawns on either the a or h File, then the game could end in a Draw ...

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[ Stalemate Rules ]

Stalemate Moves - Situation 2
- Fortress Building -

Stalemate Moves Teaser - Fortress Building

A Fortress is made up of Pawns and maybe a Rook, which could be aided by the King, as well, or used to shield the King, in his attempt to salvage a Draw.

A Fortress may be constructed to either prevent an enemy King supporting his Queen, in an attempted Checkmate assault; or to secure the Draw against an invading Army.

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[ Stalemate Rules ]

Stalemate Moves - Situation 3
- Two Knights vs. Lone King -

Stalemate Moves Teaser - Two Knights vs. Lone King

For all their ability to jump over pieces and create devastating Fork Attacks, it may come as a surprize to know that 2 Knights, even when acting together - and supported by their King - CANNOT bring about Checkmate.

This is something for a Losing player to try and take advantage of ...

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[ Stalemate Rules ]

Stalemate Moves - Situation 4
- Knight and Rook-Pawn on the 7th Rank vs. Long King -

Stalemate Moves Teaser - Knight + Rook-Pawn on the 7th Rank vs. Long King

Back with the Knight Chess Piece, again, but this time it's got the support of a Pawn, together with its King.

However, with the Pawn being on the Rook's File - hence the term Rook-Pawn - the game can still end in a Draw.

This situation is more of a WARNING to the attacker, about how they can ruin their chance for victory ...

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[ Stalemate Rules ]

Stalemate Moves - Situation 5
- Perpetual Checks -

Stalemate Moves Teaser - Perpetual Checks

This situation can lead to Stalemate due to the Three-time Repetition Rule.

Basically, the losing player will be able to keep Checking the enemy's King, while that King will be able to keep on escaping.

However, owing to the positioning of the pieces, the same pattern of movement repeats itself and, when it's repeated for the third time, in a row, Stalemate is instant ...

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[ Stalemate Rules ]

Stalemate Moves - Situation 6
- Perpetual Pursuits -

Stalemate Moves Teaser - Perpetual Pursuits

This situation is almost identical to that of the Perpetual Check. The only difference being that the repeptitive attacks are against one of the enemy's other pieces - just not the King.

However, like the Perpetual Check, Perpetual Persuits are also destined to trigger Stalemate via the Three-time Repetition Rule...

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