From: "Julio A.N.T. Soares" <jtsoares <at> IF <dot> USP <dot> BR>
Date: 16 oct 1995
Subject: Re: King in check

>  "The difference between checkmate (which wins) and stalemate (which only
>draws), is slight.  But slight as that difference is, it is vital."
>  "Your King is in check; it is your turn to move; you have no legal move;
>you are checkmated."
>  "But, if your King is not in check; it is your turn to move; and you have
>no legal move available, then you are stalemated, and the game is drawn."
>  "Checkmate and stalemate are alike in that they both apply to a player
>who is on the move, and who has no legal move left.  Checkmate and
>stalemate differ in this: if the King is already in check, then checkmate
>results; if the King is not in check, then stalemate results."
>-- Fred Reinfeld, "First Book of Chess" 1952
>
>The real explanation for Fred's 1954 wording is he's being sloppy, possibly
>in order to be more descriptive.  He's using conversational language
>designed for his target audience (beginners) so it's okay to him that it
>only covers 99.99% of the possible stalemates.

It don't cover 100 %? Why? To me Stalemate is exactly this: it's your turn,
your king is not in check and you don't have any legal moves!

Cheers,
Julio (IGS/ISS=jants)
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