Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with capture) and there is no possible escape.

Learn everything about the checkmate, the most important goal of chess, and 20 different checkmate patterns with nice examples and diagrams.

Sep 6, 2025 · Knowing when it is checkmate is fundamental in chess. In simple terms, checkmate occurs when a player’s king is under direct threat of capture (in check) and has no legal move to …

Jan 14, 2026 · In chess, checkmate implies the condition of the king, which is in check (being threatened by the opponent side), and cannot make a legal move to avoid it. When it occurs, the game …

3 days ago · Master essential checkmate patterns like the Back-Rank and Smothered Mate to finish games with confidence. A practical guide to improving your tactical vision and calculation.

In simple words, checkmate means a player’s king is under attack and there is no way left to get out of it. So if you are in checkmate, then that means your king is in threat and you have no way left to save it …

Checkmate occurs when the king is placed in a position of attack and has no legal moves to escape. Unlike a simple check, where the king can move out of danger or another piece can intervene, …