Checkmate &
Stalemate
Check, this is when you're King is threatened but it still retains the ability to move out of the threatening position. Here are 3 methods for getting out of check.
  1. Capture the attacking piece
  2. Placing one of your own pieces between the attacker and your King (Unless the attacking piece is a Knight).
  3. Move the King away from the attack.
Checkmate, this is where you lose the game. A King that is in checkmate is classified as captured. Basically a King that is in checkmate is in Check and any move that it makes would also put it in check. As a King cannot move into check, this position was called checkmate and the player of the King in checkmate loses the game.
Stalemate, this is where the game ends in a draw. This happens when a King can no longer move from a safe square, in addition to this there is no other piece of the King's side left. The King is restricted from moving, this is because moving would place the King into Check.

The picture shows the Black King in Checkmate, notice how the King is in Check, and any possible move that it makes will place it in Check, this is why it's called Checkmate. The White King is in a Stalemate, the King isn't in Check but it can't move either. As you can see any move the White King makes would put it in Check and this is an illegal move.

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