Stalemate: a practical example
A lone king boxed into a corner can be stalemated by an opposing king and queen if the queen controls every available square without checking the king. The side with extra material has not won merely by restricting all movement.
How to use the idea in your games
When ahead, check your opponent's legal moves before making a non-checking move. When defending, search for ways to eliminate your own remaining moves without exposing the king to check.
A useful study question
Can you explain stalemate in your own words, identify it in a position, and describe when the idea does not apply? Test the explanation on a legal board before relying on it.
Connect the ideas
Draw, Checkmate, Endgame are useful next concepts. Follow the links to compare definitions and examples, then return to the complete chess glossary whenever an unfamiliar term appears.
Sources & further reading
References checked September 5, 2026. Linked services are independent of ChessRankings.com™.