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Welcome back. Perhaps you'd like to tell me what you'd like me to call you this lesson.
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Have you learnt all about CASTLING, kiddo?  Yes, I understand about CASTLING. I'm not sure of all the CASTLING rules. |
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You know you can get a draw by STALEMATE. There are a few other ways of DRAWING a game of chess. In this lesson we'll have a look at them. 
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STALEMATE is one way to draw the game, but not the only way. The game is declared a DRAW if it is not possible for either player to force CHECKMATE. So if you reach a position with king against king, king against king and bishop or king against king and knight the game is a draw. The diagram on your left demonstrates that it's not possible to CHECKMATE with a king and bishop: the next diagram will show you the same thing with a king and knight.
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King and queen against king is an easy win. King and rook against king is a bit harder but still easy. If you want to play in competitions you need to know these two. King and two bishops against king is harder still. King, bishop and knight against king is very hard, but possible. King and two knights can only mate if your opponent makes a mistake.
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A draw can be agreed at any point in the game, for instance if both players realise that no other result is possible. In this position the game will be a draw as long as White moves his king between a1 and b2. If Black knows White will not do anything else he can offer a draw.
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If you're playing in a competition there are two other ways you can draw a game: You can claim a draw if you reach the same position three times with the same player to move (but NOT if you make the same move three times). You can also claim a draw if you play 50 moves EACH without a pawn move or a capture (so if you end up with, for example, king and rook against king you have 50 moves in which to get checkmate).
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To complete this lesson, there are other ways to win as well as CHECKMATE. You can win if your opponent RESIGNS. At any point in the game you can RESIGN if you think your position is hopeless and you're definitely going to lose. But until you've played more it's best not to RESIGN. You never know: your opponent might make a mistake. And if he doesn't you'll learn from seeing how he beats you. Finally, if you ever play in a tournament you might have to use a CHESS CLOCK. If your opponent plays too slowly and runs out of time you will win ON TIME.
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That's the end of the lesson, kiddo.
Guess what? It's time for a REALLY HARD EXAM about OTHER WAYS TO DRAW. That will be easy: there's not much to learn. Can I repeat the lesson first? I'll do it later - I have to go now I'm no good at drawing - and no good at painting either. |