An Introduction to Chess: Ways to terminate a game (Part 2)

By Errol Tiwari On In Chess with Errol |
White has been checkmated! Black’s Bishop calls the check. White cannot get out. Two Kings cannot stand next to each other and black’s Knight controls the g8 square, which White cannot cross.
White has been checkmated! Black’s Bishop calls the check. White cannot get out. Two Kings cannot stand next to each other and black’s Knight controls the g8 square, which White cannot cross.

Last week, looking at the eight ways to end a chess game, we examined checkmate, resignation, timeout, and stalemate. The remaining four ways to end the chess game, insufficient material, 50-move rule, repetition, and agreement are being examined today. Although checkmate and stalemate are the two vital aspects of bringing conclusion to a game, knowing the others are equally important. 

Insufficient  material 
When a player cannot force checkmate owing to inadequate material the game is drawn automatically. If two Kings stand alone on the chessboard and there are no other pieces, the game is drawn. Once a player has checkmating material, the game is not drawn. You cannot force checkmate with a King and Knight vs the King, neither can you do it with a King and Bishop vs the King. In those circumstances, the game is drawn. However, checkmate can be effected with two Bishops or two knights vs the lone King.