Dipendra's Site: December 2010

The History of Chess
The game of Chess in the form in which it is played to−day is usually assumed to be of a much older date
than can be proved with certainty by documents in our possession. The earliest reference to the game is
contained in a Persian romance written about 600 A.D., which ascribes the origin of Chess to India. Many of
the European Chess terms used in the Middle Ages which can be traced back to the Indian language also tend
to prove that India is the mother country of the game.
We are, therefore, fairly safe in assuming that Chess is about 1300 years old. Of course we could go farther,
considering that the Indian Chess must have been gradually developed from simpler board games. Indeed we
know from a discovery in an Egyptian tomb built about 4000 B.C. that board games have been played as
early as 6000 years ago; but we have no way of finding out their rules.
The game of Chess spread from India to Persia, Arabia and the other Moslem countries, and it was brought to
Europe at the time of the Moorish invasion of Spain. It also reached the far East, and games similar to Chess
still exist in Japan, China, Central and Northern Asia, the names and rules of which prove that they descended
from the old Indian Chess.
In Europe Chess spread from Spain northward to France, Germany, England, Scandinavia and Iceland. It
became known with extraordinary rapidity, although at first it was confined to the upper classes, the courts of
the Kings and the nobility. In the course of time, when the dominance of the nobility declined and the
inhabitants of the cities assumed the leading role in the life of people, the game of Chess spread to all classes
of society and soon reached a popularity which no other game has ever equaled.
While in the early Middle Ages the game was played in Europe with the same rules as in the Orient, some
innovations were introduced by the European players in the later Middle Ages which proved to be so great an
improvement that within a hundred years they were generally adopted in all countries including the Orient.
The reason for the changes was that in the old form of the game it took too long to get through the opening
period. The new form, which dates from about 1500 A .D. and the characteristic feature of which is the
enlarged power of Queen and Bishop, is our modern Chess, the rules of which are uniform throughout the
civilized world.
In the Seventeenth Century Chess flourished mostly in Italy, which consequently produced the strongest
players. Some of them traveled throughout Europe, challenging the best players of the other countries and for
the most part emerging victorious. At that time Chess was in high esteem, especially at the courts of the kings
who followed the example of Philip the Second of Spain in honoring the traveling masters and rewarding
them liberally for their exhibition matches.
Towards the beginning of the Eighteenth Century the game reached a high stage of development in France,
England and Germany. The most famous master of the time was the Frenchman, Andre Philidor, who for
more than forty years easily maintained his supremacy over all players with whom he came in contact, and
whose fame has since been equaled only by the American Champion, Paul Morphy, and by the German,
Emanuel Lasker.
During the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries the number of players who obtained international fame
increased rapidly, and in 1851, due to the efforts of the English Champion Staunton, an international
tournament was held in London to determine the championship of Europe. It was won by the German master
Anderssen, who maintained his leading place for the following fifteen years, until he was beaten by the
youthful Morphy. The latter, at twenty years of age, was the first American master to visit Europe and
defeated in brilliant style all European masters whom he met.
Chess and Checkers: The Way to Mastership
The History of Chess 4

Morphy withdrew from the game after his return to America and did not try to match himself with the
Bohemian Steinitz, who in the meantime had beaten Anderssen, too, and who had come to America. Steinitz
assumed the title of the World's Champion and defended it successfully against all competitors until 1894,
when he was beaten by Emanuel Lasker, who is still World's Champion, having never lost a match.
The next aspirant for the World's Championship is the young Cuban, Jose Raoul Capablanca, who has proved
to be superior to all masters except Lasker. He entered the arena of international tournaments at the age of
twenty−two in San Sebastian, Spain, in 1911, and won the first prize in spite of the competition of nearly all
of Europe's masters. In the last international tournament, which was held in Petrograd in 1914, he finished
second, Emanuel Lasker winning first prize.
The present ranking of the professional Chess masters is about the following:
1. Emanuel Lasker, Berlin, World's Champion.
2. J. R. Capablanca, Havana, Pan−American Champion.
3. A. Rubinstein, Warsaw, Russian Champion.
4. K. Schlechter, Vienna, Austrian Champion.
5. Frank Marshall, New York, United States Champion.
6. R. Teichmann, Berlin.
7. A. Aljechin, Moscow.
Other players of international fame are the Germans, Tarrasch and Spielmann, the Austrians, Duras, Marocy
and Vidmar, the Russians, Bernstein and Niemzowitsch, the Frenchman, Janowski and the Englishman, Burn.
Up to the time of the outbreak of the war the leading Chess Clubs of the different countries arranged, as an
annual feature, national and international tournaments, thus bringing the Chess players of all nationalities into
close contact.
This internationalism of Chess is of great advantage to the Chess player who happens to be traveling in a
foreign country. There are innumerable Chess Clubs spread all over the globe and the knowledge of the game
is the only introduction a man needs to be hospitably received and to form desirable social and business
connections.
It would be going beyond the limit of this summary of the history of Chess if I tried to give even an outline of
the extremely interesting part Chess has played in French, English and German literature from the Middle
Ages up to the present time. Suffice it to mention that Chess literature by far exceeds that of all other games
combined. More than five thousand volumes on Chess have been written, and weekly or monthly magazines
solely devoted to Chess are published in all countries, so that Chess has, so to speak, become an international,
universal language.

The History of Checkers
The literature on the game of Checkers (English: Draughts) is very limited and there are no certain references
to prove that the game was known before the Sixteenth Century. Two theories are current as to its origin; one
of them claiming it to be a simplified Chess, the other explaining it as the result of transferring the Spanish
game Alquerque de doze to the Chess board.
H. J. R. Murray, the greatest authority on the history of games, considers it most likely that the game has
been evolved from both Chess and Alquerque. The method of capturing men and the rule concerning the
huffing of a man unquestionably point to the Spanish game, while the board, the diagonal move of the men
and the idea of crowning a man are taken from Chess.
In France, Germany, Italy and Spain the name of the game is still that of the Queen of Chess (Dame, Dama)
Chess and Checkers: The Way to Mastership
The History of Checkers 5

PART I: THE GAME OF CHESS
I. THE RULES OF THE GAME
BOARD AND MEN
The game of Chess is played by two armies who oppose each other on a square board or battlefield of
sixty−four alternate white and black squares. Each army has sixteen men; one King, one Queen, two Rooks
(or Castles), two Bishops, two Knights and eight Pawns. The Generals of the two armies are the two players
themselves. The men of one side are of light color and are called White, those of the other side are of dark
color and are called Black.
The object of the game is to capture the opposing King. When this is done the battle is ended, the side losing
whose King is captured. To understand what is meant by the capture of the King it is first necessary to
become acquainted with the laws according to which the different men move on the board.
To start with, the board must be placed so that the players have a white square at their right. Then the men
take the positions shown in Diagram 1.
The Rooks occupy the corner squares; next to them stand the Knights; then the Bishops and in the center the
King and the Queen.
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
8 | #R | #Kt| #B | #Q | #K | #B | #K | #R |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
7 | #P | #P | #P | #P | #P | #P | #P | #P |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
6 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
5 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
4 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
3 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | ^P | ^P | ^P | ^P | ^P |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
1 | ^R | ^Kt| ^B | ^Q | ^K | ^B | ^Kt| ^R |
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
a b c d e f g h
DIAGRAM 1
The white Queen must be on the white square and the black Queen on the black square
. These eight, men are commonly known as "pieces" in distinction from the Pawns. The latter occupy the line
Chess and Checkers: The Way to Mastership
PART I: THE GAME OF CHESS 6

of squares immediately in front of the Pieces.
The lines of squares now occupied by the men and the other four vacant horizontal lines between them are
called RANKS. The vertical lines of squares running perpendicularly to the ranks are called FILES . The
oblique lines of squares, that is, lines which connect squares of the same color, are called DIAGONALS.
To describe the moves of the men on the board in a simple way it is necessary to indicate every square and
every man by a short symbol . For this purpose different systems have been suggested at different times, but
only two of them have been generally adopted. The older one, called the "descriptive notation," still
predominates in the English, French and Spanish speaking countries, but as leading English and American
writers have lately used the newer "algebraic notation" which is much more simple, the latter will be
employed in this book. Later the former method will be explained for the sake of completeness .
In the algebraic notation the files are lettered from a to h, starting from the file on White's left. The ranks are
numbered from 1 to 8, starting from the rank on which White's pieces stand at the beginning of the game.
Each square is now easily indicated by naming the file and rank at which it forms the intersection. The Rook
in Diagram 2, for instance, stands on e4, the Bishop on C4, the Pawns on h4 and g7, the Knight on f7, the
Queen on d6 and the Kings on c1 and g3 .
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
8 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
7 | | | | | | ^Kt| #P | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
6 | | | | #Q | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
5 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
4 | | | #B | | ^R | | | ^P |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
3 | | | | | | | #K | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
2 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
1 | | | ^K | | | | | |
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
a b c d e f g h
DIAGRAM 2
As symbols for the men the first letters of their names are used
. Thus K stands for King, Q for Queen, R for Rook, B for Bishop, Kt or N for Knight and P for Pawn

THE MOVES OF THE MEN
Each of the six kinds of men moves in a different way. To remember the six varieties of moves naturally
requires a little more effort than to remember just the one way of moving as in most other board games. But it
takes only very little practice to become familiar with the various moves of the Chessmen and it is soon
revealed to the learner that the variety of the moves enables a surprising depth and wealth of combinations
which give keener and greater pleasure to this game than to any other.
The Rook
Chess and Checkers: The Way to Mastership
PART I: THE GAME OF CHESS 7

The Rook may move forward, backward or sideways in a straight line along a path not obstructed by a man of
the same color. In other words, he may move to any square of the rank or file on which he stands unless
another man of his own color is in the way. If there is a hostile man in the way he may capture him by
occupying his square and removing him from the board.
In Diagram 2, for instance, the Rook could move to e5, e6, e7, e8, e3, e2, e1, f4, g4, d4 and c4. In making the
latter move he would capture the black Bishop. The Rook may not go to h4 because a man of his own color
stands there nor may he go to b4 or e4 because he is not allowed to jump over the Bishop. He could, of
course, move to either of these squares on his next move after capturing the Bishop.
The Bishop
The Bishop moves along an oblique line, that is, he may move to any square of the diagonals on which he
stands unless−−as in the case of the Rook−−his way is obstructed by a man of his own color. If there is a
hostile man in the way he may capture him. In Diagram 2, therefore, the Bishop may move to a2, b3, d5, e6
or, by capturing the Knight, to f7. He may not move, however, to g8, until his next move after capturing the
Knight. In the other diagonal all squares, that is, fi, e2, d3, b5 and a6, are accessible to him.
As the Bishop is confined to squares of the same color as the one on which he stood at the beginning of the
game he has access only to thirty−two squares of the board, and from this it is evident that the Rook to whom
all squares of the board are accessible is a stronger man .
The Queen
The Queen has the power of both Rook and Bishop having the choice of moving to any square of the rank,
file or diagonal on which she stands as long as her path is clear. In Diagram 2 the squares to which the Queen
may move are, therefore, e3, b4, c5, e7, f8, f1, b5, C7, b8, d1, d2, d3, d4, ds, d7, d8, a6, b6, c6, e6, f6, g6 and
h6. Like the Rook and Bishop she has the power of capturing a hostile man by occupying his square.
The Queen is by far the most powerful of the pieces. Later it will be seen that ordinarily her strength is about
equal to the strength of two Rooks.
The King
The King, like the Queen, moves and captures in any direction, but he is much less powerful because he may
move only one square at a time . Nevertheless, he is the most important man, for, as said at the beginning, the
object of each side is the capture of the opposing King .
To save the King from untimely death there is a rule that the King may not move into any square which is in
the direct range of any man of his enemy. Thus, in Diagram 2 the black King may move to f2, g2, h2, f3 and
h3, but he may not move to f4 or g4 nor may he capture the Pawn on h4, for on any of these squares he could
be captured by the white Rook.
The white King in Diagram 2 has only three squares to which he may go, namely, b1, b2 and c2, as the
squares d1 and d2, though being in his range, are commanded by the black Queen.
The Knight
The Knight moves neither in rank nor file nor diagonal and, therefore, usually offers a little more difficulty to
the beginner than the other pieces. The Knight's move is perhaps best described as a leap to the next but one
square of different color.[Footnote: It may be helpful to consider the Knight's move when completed as

having described a letter "L" composed of four squares, three in one direction and one at right angles to
them.] For instance, in Diagram 2 the Knight may move to d8, d6, e5, g5, h6 and h8. In moving to d6 he
would capture the Queen.
His move would be in no way obstructed if some of his own or his adversary's men were occupying the
squares next to the one on which he stands. This enables the Knight as the only one of the pieces to move at
the beginning of the game before any Pawn move has been made.
The strength of the Knight is ordinarily regarded as about equal to that of the Bishop. The latter's range is
larger but the Knight has the advantage of being able to reach any square of the board regardless of color.
The Pawn
It remains to describe the move of the Pawn, the only man who captures in a different way from that in which
he moves. The Pawn moves FORWARD ONLY in the file in which he stands, and only one square at a time
with the exception of his first move on which he may advance two squares. Thus, in Diagram 2, the white
Pawn may move only to h5 while the black Pawn may move to either g6 or g5.
The Pawn may capture only diagonally, only forward and only one square at a time. The privilege of taking a
double step on the first move does not extend to the capture. Thus in Diagram 2, the white Pawn could
capture only a black man on g5, the black Pawn only a man on either f6 or h6, but not on e5. If a man stood
on h5, the Pawn h4 would be blocked. Likewise would the Pawn on g7 be blocked by a man on g6.
There is one peculiar rule to be remembered in connection with the move of the Pawn. If a Pawn uses his
privilege of making a double step to avoid capture by a hostile Pawn he can be put back one square and
captured just the same. For instance, in Diagram 2, if the white Pawn stood on h5 and Black moved his Pawn
to g5, White could put Black's Pawn back to g6 and capture him with his Pawn. This way of capturing is
called taking "en passant" (French for "in passing") and can be done only by a Pawn, never by a piece.
Lastly must be mentioned the power of the Pawn to become transformed into a piece. This is done
automatically whenever a Pawn reaches the extreme opposite side of the board. That is, the player must
remove the Pawn from the board and put any piece on his place except a King. Thus it can happen that a
player may play with three or more Rooks, Bishops, Knights or Queens. As the Queen is the strongest Piece
the Pawns are practically always exchanged for Queens and for this reason the process of the exchange is
called "queening."
Although a Pawn has comparatively little value as measured by his mobility−−his range of movement−−he is
really a very valuable man because of the possibility of his eventually queening.
Castling
Only once in a game is a player allowed to move more than one piece at a time. This one move is called
"castling" and is made by the King together with one of the Rooks. In castling the King moves two squares
toward the Rook and the Rook is placed on the square over which the King has passed. In the position of
Diagram 3 both players may castle either side.
White, in "castling King's side" would place his King on g1 and the King's Rook on f1; in "castling Queen's
side" the King would leap to c1 while the Queen's Rook would take his stand on d1. Likewise Black would
castle by either playing the King to g8 and the Rook from h8 to f8, or the King to c8 and the Rook to a8 to
d8.

8 | #R | | | | #K | | | #R |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
7 | #P | #P | #P | | #Q | #P | #P | #P |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
6 | | | #Kt| #P | | #Kt| | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
5 | | | #B | | #P | | ^B | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
4 | | | ^B | | ^P | | #B | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
3 | | | ^Kt| ^P | | ^Kt| | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | ^Q | | ^P | ^P | ^P |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
1 | ^R | | | | ^K | | | ^R |
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
a b c d e f g h
DIAGRAM 3.
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
8 | #R | #Kt| | | #K | | | #R |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
7 | #P | #P | | | | #P | #P | #P |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
6 | | | #P | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
5 | | | | #P | ^P | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
4 | | ^B | | | | ^P | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
3 | | | | | #Kt| ^Kt| | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | | | | ^P | ^P |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
1 | ^R | | | | ^K | | | ^R |
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
a b c d e f g h
DIAGRAM 4.
Castling is permitted only when neither King nor Rook concerned has previously moved, when none of the
squares between the King and the Rook are obstructed and when none of the three squares involved in the
King's move are controlled by an adverse man. Thus if in check (see page 17) the player may not castle. In
Diagram 4, neither White nor Black may castle.
SPECIAL TERMS
Attack and Defense
A man is said to ATTACK another man if he moves so that on his next move he could capture the other man.
Thus, in Diagram 5, White could attack Black's Bishop by moving his Rook to d1 or to e6.
A man is said to DEFEND or to PROTECT another man if he moves so that in case the other man is captured
by a hostile man he could recapture the latter. Thus, in Diagram 5, Black could defend his Bishop by moving
his Knight to either e4 or e8 in case White attacks with the Rook from d1. Should White attack from e6, then

Black would not defend the Bishop with the Knight, for on e4 as well as on e8 the Knight is unprotected and
could be captured by the Rook without White losing anything in exchange. Black has a much more simple
way to defend the attack of the Rook from e6, that is, by capturing the Rook with the Pawn f7. For this reason
White would not have moved the Rook to e6.
Check and Checkmate
If a man makes a move which attacks the opposing King the King is said to be in "check." The player whose
King is checked then has to make a move which gets the King out of check
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
8 | | | | | | | #K | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
7 | | | | | | #P | #P | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
6 | | | | #B | | #Kt| | #P |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
5 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
4 | ^P | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
3 | | | ^P | | | | | ^P |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
2 | | | | | | | ^P | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
1 | | | | | ^R | | ^K | |
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
a b c d e f g h
DIAGRAM 5.
or he forfeits the game. This is the only case in which a player is not at liberty to make any move he likes.
Unless the attacking man can be captured there are only two ways of getting out of check. One of these is to
interpose a man between the King and the attacking piece, and the other to move the King out of the line of
attack. In Diagram 5 Black could give check by moving the Bishop to c5. In answer to this White has four
moves at his disposal. He may either move the King to f1 or h1 or h2, or he may interpose his Rook on e3.
The latter would be very unwise as Black would simply take the Rook with his Bishop, again checking
White's King . The situation would then not have changed at all except that White would have lost his Rook.
White's King could not move to f2, for this would leave him still attacked by the Bishop.
Instead of checking on c5 Black could have attacked White's King on h2. But in this case the King would
have simply captured the Bishop .
If it were White's move he could give check with the Rook on e8. But Black could take the Rook with the
Knight. He would naturally do this instead of either moving out with the King to h7 or interposing the Bishop
on f8.
If a King is in Check and there is no move with which to get him out of it he is said to be "checkmate" and
the game is ended. Diagram 6 shows an example in which either player can give checkmate on the move.
If it were White's move he would take the Pawn on g6 with his Queen . Now Black's King is in check as
White's Queen threatens to take him on the next move. The King cannot move to either g7 or h7, for these
two squares are also commanded by White's Queen.

8 | | | | ^R | | #Kt| #K | #R |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
7 | #P | #B | #P | | | #P | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
6 | | #P | #Q | #B | | | #P | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
5 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
4 | | | | | | ^Kt| ^Kt| |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
3 | | ^B | | ^Q | | | | ^P |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | | | | ^P | ^K |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
1 | | | | | | | | |
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
a b c d e f g h
DIAGRAM 6.
Moreover, the latter cannot be taken by the Pawn on f7 as the black King would be in check by the Bishop on
b3. The Pawn is "pinned" by the Bishop. Black's Knight cannot take White's Queen either as he is pinned by
White's Rook. Finally, there is no piece available which may be interposed between White's Queen and
Black's King; in other words: Black is checkmate, his game is lost.
If it were Black's move he would take the Pawn g2 with the Queen. Now White's King is in check as Black's
Queen threatens to take him on the next move. He may not take the Queen as he would then be captured by
the Bishop b7. Neither may the Knight f4 take the Queen as he is pinned by the Bishop d6. Moreover, the
King may not escape to g1, h1 or g3, these three squares lying in the rangeof Black's Queen; and so there is
no move on the board with which to get White's King out of check: He is checkmate, White loses the game.
Stalemate
If a player, without being in check, cannot make any move which would not get his King into check, he is
said to be STALEMATE. In this case the game is considered a draw. Diagram 7 shows an example.
White on the move, although his forces are much inferior, can draw the game by checking with the Rook on
f3. Black cannot very well make a move with his King in reply, as then White's Rook would take the Queen.
Black, therefore, must capture the Rook with the Queen and with this move he stalemates White, as the latter
has no move left which would not bring his King into check.
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
8 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
7 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
6 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
5 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
4 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
3 | | | | #Q | | | | #K |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
2 | | | | | | ^R | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|

1 | | | | | #R | ^Kt| ^K | |
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
a b c d e f g h
DIAGRAM 7.
If it were Black's move he would easily win. In fact he has two different ways of checkmating White in three
moves. One of them would be to take the Knight with the Rook, attacking the King and forcing White's Rook
to recapture as the King has no square to go to; then to give check with the Queen on g3 forcing White's King
to h1 and enabling the mate with the Queen on g2 or h2.
The other way would be to start with the check on g3. As White's Knight is pinned he cannot capture the
Queen.
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
8 | | | | | | | #K | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
7 | | | | | | | #P | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
6 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
5 | | | | | | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
4 | | | | | ^Q | | | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
3 | | #Q | | | | | ^P | |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
2 | #P | | | | | | | ^P |
|−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−|
1 | | | | | | | | ^K |
+−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−+
a b c d e f g h
DIAGRAM 8
Interposing the Rook on g2 would not help either as the Queen would simply take him at the same time
checkmating the King
. White's only move is, therefore, to play the King into the corner, and Black then mates by first taking the
Knight and then moving the Queen to g2 or h2.
Perpetual Check
If a player is able to check the opposing King continually and he indicates his intention to do so the game is
considered a draw. In the following position, for instance, White on the move can draw the game by giving a
perpetual check on e8 and h5. Black cannot help himself as he has to go back and forth with the King on h7
and g8. Without the possibility of this perpetual check White would be lost, for he cannot prevent the Pawn
a2 from queening and with two Queens against one Black would easily win as will be seen later from the
discussion of elementary endings.
Exchange
To exchange means to capture a hostile man when it allows a man of the same value to be captured by the
opponent.