Stalemate in Chess occurs when a player cannot move forward and gives a final draw. But, drawing the game because of stalemate will cause you to lose points and land up with minimal points only.
So, in this scenario, how to avoid stalemate in chess? This becomes a daunting question.
We will elaborate on this in this article. Thank God for the tips shared, which will give you a head start on a possible stalemate.
What is a Stalemate?
Before learning how to avoid stalemate, one must know what stalemate is. A stalemate is a type of draw in which the player can neither make a safe move nor his piece is in a check.
What happens then? Of course, the game is called to draw, where no players can win.
This stalemate can also occur in endgames where only a few pieces are left on the chessboard. One can also face a deadlock in the mid-game when moving their king piece to a safe zone while playing with the most major pieces.
Is Stalemate a Controversial Situation?
We all know that stalemate leads to a draw. On the contrary, some players do not declare a draw on stalemate as it leads to a case where any variation played by a player will make them leave a piece for sure.

The stalemate situation will not be favorable for the players already winning the game, but it might be fruitful for the players losing it, as draws in a stalemate will leave the losing players with half points. So, something is, of course, better than nothing!
How to Avoid Stalemate in Chess?
Do you want to avoid ending your chess game in a stalemate? Then you can prevent this by following these 4 ways:
1. Understanding why Stalemate Occurs and its Rule:
It must be understood that a stalemate occurs not when one or two pieces are trapped and it is difficult for the player to make any move. Instead, it happens when he is left with 0 moves!
Even if the player’s next move does not cause any changes, it should be moved to avoid any stalemate position.
2. Observing your Opponent and make sure they do not Stalemate unnecessarily:
You might be winning, and this can be a circumstance in which your opponent is drawing a stalemate position so that they can bring you down from your completely winning position and make the game draw where you could win!
In this situation, you must watch your opponent’s game and moves so that you are vigilant enough to know if they can make any legal moves.
3. Allow Space for your Opponent to move their Pieces:
Another typical stalemate situation is a ‘Corner Stalemate,’ in which the opponent’s king is locked in a corner by the queen or the other two pieces, and thus, the opponent cannot make any legal moves.
So, when you move your pieces, leave at least two spaces to let your opponent make a legal move. This will also buy you time to put your second piece, thus preventing a stalemate.
4. Limit your focus on other Pieces:
When one player is about to win, he or she focuses on picking up the opponent’s weaker pieces, like the pawn or the rock. This might hamper your swift and smooth checkmate and even force your opponent to no longer move their pieces, resulting in a stalemate.
3 Reasons for Chess Stalemate
You need to identify the reasons why stalemate occurs in chess. Following are some reasons that you can look into to know why your chess game is ending in a stalemate:
- One big reason for stalemate is that you cannot move your pieces as they are blocked with other pieces, thus leading to deadlock.
- Your king should move, but it cannot as it is being blocked by other pieces on the board.
- The pieces protect your king from giving checks and thus cannot be moved as they are pinned.
So do keep in check these 3 reasons while you play chess to lower the chances of ending your game in a stalemate.
Key Takeaways
A chess stalemate is a unique situation that does not commonly occur in a game. Still, if the king is not kept in check and the chess player cannot make any other legal moves, this chess position is a stalemate. The stalemate ends the game, and this will result in a draw.
This normally happens when there are fewer pieces left in the game, which is the end of the game. Stalemate is only beneficial for the players who are losing, as they will at least gain half points through it. But this situation is also very rare. Stalemate only happens if your opponent is not attentive to the game.
FAQs
- What are the rules of stalemate in chess?
Ans. There is no such rule in a stalemate; if you cannot move, you are in a stalemate position.
Why can we not call a stalemate a checkmate?Ans. In a stalemate, the king is not in check; thus, you cannot give a checkmate. However, since the king cannot be moved and is stuck, it is a stalemate, not a checkmate.
2. How can we ensure that a stalemate doesn’t occur?
Ans. In a chess game where you are already winning, but your opponent might end the game in stalemate, you must notice whether his king or any other pieces are moving after your move. Make sure to give space for your opponent’s pieces to move.
3. What is meant by the stalemate in real-life situations?
Ans. In a real-life scenario, stalemate means a draw or undecided contest between two situations or players.
4. Is it wrong to force a stalemate?
Ans. Forcing a stalemate when you are winning is a defensive strategy. Players who are winning in chess need not apply this strategy, but the ones who are losing might use this technique. But stalemate rarely occurs!
Last Updated on March 7, 2024 by Priya