Stalemate

Hello Playchess pals.

I have created a big database with all HCL games played in this site, and I intend to report regularly on many chess related topics, based on the completed games from this site. In order to experiment with this absolutely new for me task, I decided to start with the quite entertaining conclusion of a game of chess: The stalemate.

During 2003 in Human Chess League 16 games ended with stalemate. I am going to present you 4 cases.

Most endgame studies with a few pieces on the board advice to double check carefully our next move in order to avoid a stalemate. The defending King is usually near the border and an attacking Rook or Queen guards all escaping squares. Most stalemates just happen in such a position after a careless move. The first example is characteristic.

HCL-C2063-9   epenz - Maz   (1/2-1/2)
Position after 53... Kb1

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Can you find a mate in 2?

White has all the available material to mate his opponent. However, his desire to obtain the maximum forces to finish the game guides him to promote the pawn to a Queen. 54.h8Q Stalemate!

What a pity, because after 54.h8R Black has only one available move: 54.Ka1 and 55.Rh1#.

The second example is very educative, since White follows exactly all the instructions one can find in a book with basic pawn endgames.

HCL-B1586-7   (1/2-1/2)
Pietros - sarx
Position after 46.hxg4

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Black blunders his 46th move. He should have played 46.f4. After 47.Ke4 Ke6 48.Kd4 Kd6 39.Ke4 Kc5 has managed to advance his King to the 5th rank leaving White with a doubt which is the best way to delay checkmate.

Yet, he played 46... fxg4+. After 47.Kxg4 the game is drawn. However, White presents an excellent technique to achieve this target. After 47... Kg6 his retreats without leaving g-file 48.Kg3 and after 48... Kf5 he takes the opposition with 49.Kf3.

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Any other move is bad for White. Black advances the pawn 49... g4+ and an identical cycle of moves repeat: 50.Kg3 Kg5 51.Kg2 Kf4 52.Kf2.

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The cycle repeats once again: 52... g3+ 53.Kg2 Kg4 54.Kg1 Kf3 55.Kf1. Black advances the pawn 55... g2+ 56.Kg1.

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Black has two choices. He either abandons pawn protection or plays 56... Kg3 stalemate, offering me the chance to remind you of basic pawn endgame positions.

The most entertaining stalemates happen with many pieces left on the board, while one player is almost in zugzwang and the other enjoys material advantage. Have you ever managed to stalemate your opponent while your position is objectively inferior? How many times did it happen to you to turn a triumph into a disaster by neglecting a stalemate? The following game shows exactly that.

HCL-C1538-17   (1/2-1/2)
Maz - Cristian13
Position after 36... Ka7

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Black has just one move available: b7-b6. In any other case 37.R1d7 would be considered as an exemplary pin, reducing the mobility of the opponent. But the position requires a different way of thinking. Considering the zugzwang, White should search for a move that mates the opponent after he plays b7-b6. If no such move can be found, he must allow Black's next move by removing the Queen or the Rook from the 6th and 8th rank respectively. Yet, the mating move exists: Qg6-h7. So, a waiting move is necessary: 37.e4 or 37.g5 or 37.h5 have the same result 37...b6 38.Qh7#.

The final game involves a master technique one must always have in mind especially when the position is lost or extremely difficult to fight. Setting a trap may not be the best move in many cases, as it possibly shortens the game, but sometimes is crowned with success.

HCL-A1414-6   (1/2-1/2)
pizzachess - Freitag
Position after 51... Ka5

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Black has a huge material advantage. Notice that White can move only one piece: his Queen. He sets a beautiful trap by playing 52.Qe5. Black decides to take the Queen for free and dominate the board after 52... Rxe5. Alas! The game is over: Stalemate.