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Draws: Insufficient Material, Threefold, Fifty-Move, Agreement, Perpetual Check

A draw means neither side wins. Five common draws are covered in this lesson.

King against king

Only the two kings remain. Neither king alone can give checkmate, so the game is a draw.

FEN: 4k3/8/8/8/8/8/8/4K3 w - - 0 1

a b c d e f g h
8 . . . . k . . . 8
7 . . . . . . . . 7
6 . . . . . . . . 6
5 . . . . . . . . 5
4 . . . . . . . . 4
3 . . . . . . . . 3
2 . . . . . . . . 2
1 . . . . K . . . 1
  a b c d e f g h

King and knight against king

White has a king and a knight. A lone knight cannot force checkmate, so this material is also a draw.

FEN: 4k3/8/8/8/8/8/8/1N2K3 w - - 0 1

a b c d e f g h
8 . . . . k . . . 8
7 . . . . . . . . 7
6 . . . . . . . . 6
5 . . . . . . . . 5
4 . . . . . . . . 4
3 . . . . . . . . 3
2 . . . . . . . . 2
1 . N . . K . . . 1
  a b c d e f g h

Perpetual check in words

White queen gives check, Black king moves, and White gives check again from a new square. The checks repeat with no way for Black to stop them, so the game is drawn.

FEN: rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1

a b c d e f g h
8 r n b q k b n r 8
7 p p p p p p p p 7
6 . . . . . . . . 6
5 . . . . . . . . 5
4 . . . . . . . . 4
3 . . . . . . . . 3
2 P P P P P P P P 2
1 R N B Q K B N R 1
  a b c d e f g h

Key points

  • Insufficient material means too little material remains to give checkmate. King against king is a draw.
  • Threefold repetition means the same position has appeared three times with the same side to move.
  • The fifty-move rule means fifty moves by each side pass with no pawn move and no capture.
  • Agreement means both players agree to a draw. One side offers a draw and the other side accepts it.
  • Perpetual check means one side can give check forever. The game is drawn when the checks cannot be stopped.

Try it Yourself

Edit the code, then press Run.

Running is simulated · Rust Playground

Exercise

Only the two kings remain on the board. What is the result?