Learn
What you'll learn
How much force does mate take?
Being a piece up doesn't always mean you can win. Some material can force checkmate against a lone king; some simply can't. Knowing the difference tells you what to keep when you trade pieces in a winning game.
We'll look at what mates and what doesn't, meet the famous two-knight exception, learn the one trap that throws away won games — stalemate — and then you'll deliver a two-rook mate yourself.
- Queen, rook, or two bishops can force mate; a lone minor can't.
- Two knights vs a lone king is the famous non-win.
- Stalemate is how winners blow it — we'll learn to avoid it.