really boring conversation about chess.

[Wyl Staedtler]

Does anyone know an easy way to explain the difference between checkmate and stalemate to a ten year old? There's this kid in my building who's mum works a few jobs and he comes over sometimes. We were watching 'Searching For Bobby Fischer' a few months ago and he asked me to teach him chess. I'm a lousy teacher though, so far all of our lessons have gone like this.

Me: Okay Sam, so let's say you only have your King (you're the black king) left. He's on h8. I have my Queen here on h6 and a Rook on g1. What's happening?

Sam: Checkmate.

Me: Nope.

Sam: Uh, yeah.

Me: Your King isn't in check. So it's not checkmate.

Sam: How am I not in check?

Me: You're only in check when your King is being attacked by another piece.

Sam: Aren't I being attacked? I can be captured. So I lose.

Me: The point isn't to capture the King, it's to trap him.

Sam: But he can't move anywhere!

Me: Right.

Sam: So it's checkmate!

Me: No, he's not in check, so it's not checkmate. It's stalemate.

Sam: Huh?

Me: There are no possible moves, but you aren't in check, so it's a stalemate. The match is a draw.

And then inevitably this kid gets all frustrated and stops enjoying the game, which is a pity because he's caught on to everything else really quickly. I don't know how to explain the whole concept of 'check', 'checkmate', and 'stalemate' to him any simpler.

Any ideas?

[Yog]

Well, for starters, before teaching the concept of stalemate and mate, he needs to understand what check actually is. Check is just a threat to take the king. You will need to either block the threat with another piece, capture the threatening piece or move the king (this is the stuff you need to teach him first). When mated, your king is threatened, but there is no legal move to get out of it. When stalemate, it's the opposite, the king is not threatened, but it's impossible to make a legal move without having the king captured.

Anyway, not sure how much that helps. I suck explaining this stuff too :|

Maybe a better way to hold his interest is just showing how the pieces move and play for a bit.

[Llewelyn Voss]

see, he seems to understand checking though, because we've set up the board and layed out all sorts of ways to check the opposition, and when we play he can identify when he's in check or if i am. which is why i can't understand why he can't see the difference between checkmate and stalemate.

[Yog]

Well, if he understands that, it's probably not a big deal for now. I mean, stalemate does not occur that often in regular games.

Whats this though:


you only have your King (you're the black king) left. He's on h8. I have my Queen here on h6 and a Rook on g1.

If that's a real board position, the kid is actually right the king is mated. The queen can go diagonal and move horizontal and vertical as a rook. With the queen on h6, the king at h8 is in check by the queen (there is no way to prevent Qxh8).

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I don't think even I know the difference between stalemate and checkmate. :p

[Turbogeek]

Stalemate is where you have wasted three hours.

Checkmate is where you realised you have wasted three hours, lost AND get to thorw the board off the table in frustration.

[Yog]

Stalemate is where you have wasted three hours.

Checkmate is where you realised you have wasted three hours, lost AND get to thorw the board off the table in frustration.

Amusing.. :)

You do realize a chess game can be anything from a 1 minute blitz to a several hour game depending on time control right?

Also, there are far worse ways to waste 3 hours which does not involve using your mind and think. At higher level, chess is everything from art, science, mathematics, calculation, memorization, creativity, intuition, logic, concentration, psychology, athletics.. and a game, all in one. In other words, it beats the hell out of any other classic game out there. It should have been mandatory to learn for kids at school.

In contrast, you have for example poker which is something like 50% psychology, 40% luck and 10% probability, yet the world's best players make millions of dollars playing it. Chess and bridge are much more skill based.

[Turbogeek]

Amusing.. :)

You do realize a chess game can be anything from a 1 minute blitz to a several hour game depending on time control right?



Dude, I AM a damn good chess player - why do you think I decided to say what I did? :D I know how frustrating the game can be at it's worst. But it is sweet victory if you have battled for hours and you pull off some great well thought out endgame

My longest game was I think 6 hours - I do however have a preference for 30 second max between moves.