difference between check and checkmate in chess

Checks and balances is from 1782, perhaps originally suggesting machinery. The Practice Pages and Classroom Activities help students master the differences between check, checkmate, and stalemate. Blank check in the figurative sense is attested by 1849 (compare carte blanche). Checking account is attested from 1897, American English. The meaning 'restaurant bill' is from 1869. have acted and reacted on each other, so that it is difficult to trace and exhibit the order in which special senses arose Hence also 'mark put against names or items on a list indicating they have been verified or otherwise examined' (by 1856).įrom its use in chess the word has been widely transferred in French and English. Hence: 'a counter-register as a token of ownership used to check against, and prevent, loss or theft' (as in hat check, etc.), 1812. Hence also the financial use for 'written order for money drawn on a bank, money draft' (1798, often spelled cheque), which was probably influenced by exchequer. From that notion come the many extended senses: From the notion of 'a sudden stoppage, hindrance, restraint' (1510s) comes that of 'act or means of checking or restraining,' also 'means of detecting or exposing or preventing error a check against forgery or alteration.' Below is a brief explanation of each term and how each word applies to your chess game. Although frequently used, these terms can be a little confusing to the beginner. No matter where the king is moved, he is always in danger. I’m sure you’ve heard the following terms many times if you’re at all interested in learning to play chess check, checkmate and stalemate. Giving checkmate is the main goal in chess: a player who is mated loses the game. Or, simply put, the king is under attack and cannot get out of being captured. On the other hand, a checkmate is one where the game is over. 1 2 Checkmate A smothered mate Checkmate (often called mate) is when a player's king is attacked (in check) and there is no way to escape that attack. When his king is in check, a player's choices are severely limited. The opponent must then move his or her king to safety. In this Chess video we talk about Check, Checkmate and Stalemate: Definitions, Differences and some tricky examples so you can practice and make sure you. 1300 in a generalized sense, 'harmful incident or event, hostile environment.'Īs 'an exposure of the king to a direct attack from an opposing piece' early 15c.

White played the last move, Qe7+, and black didn’t have any valid move to play.

In this case, it is considered a checkmate, and the opponent is declared as a loss.

1300, in chess, 'a call noting one's move has placed his opponent's king (or another major piece) in immediate peril,' from Old French eschequier 'a check at chess' (also 'chess board, chess set'), from eschec 'the game of chess chessboard check checkmate,' from Vulgar Latin *scaccus, from Arabic shah, from Persian shah 'king,' the principal piece in a chess game (see shah also compare checkmate (n.)). Checkmate is a position in which players give a check to the opponent’s king, and the opponent doesn’t have any valid move.

Difference between check and checkmate in chess