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11. Check & Checkmate

Learn what check means, how to escape it, and how checkmate wins the game.

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Introduction

Check means the king is under attack. Checkmate means the king is under attack and there's no way to escape—game over! Understanding these concepts is essential.

Lesson Content

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When a piece attacks the enemy king, it's called "check." The opponent must immediately deal with the check—they cannot make any other move.

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1. ..Re1+

Put the black king in check! Move the rook to e1.

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There are three ways to escape check: (1) Move the king to a safe square. (2) Block the check with another piece. (3) Capture the attacking piece.

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Checkmate occurs when the king is in check AND none of the three escape methods work. The king cannot move, nothing can block, and nothing can capture the attacker.

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3. Re8#

Deliver checkmate! Move the rook to e8. The king has no escape.

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How many ways are there to escape check?

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What is the difference between check and checkmate?

Key Takeaways

  • Check: the king is under attack and must respond immediately
  • Three escapes from check: move, block, or capture
  • Checkmate: the king is in check with no escape—game over
  • You never actually capture the king; the game ends at checkmate
  • Every chess game is a quest to deliver checkmate!

Now play it through

Step through every move on a real board, try the wrong ones, and ask Knighty why they fail.

Practice Interactively

Summary

Check attacks the king; checkmate traps it with no escape. The ultimate goal of chess is to deliver checkmate!

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