Bare king
Encyclopedia
In chess
and related games, a bare king (could be called a lone king for one of the players) is a situation in which one player has only the king
left on the board, while that player's fifteen other pieces
have been captured.
In some old versions of chess for example "baring chess", as well as the game of shatranj
, leaving the opponent with a bare king was one way of winning the game (see checkmate#History). The relative weakness of the pieces in Shatranj may have made this form of a win desirable. A possible exception to the bare king rule was if the king immediately after being bared was able to recapture, leaving the opponent with a bare king as well. This situation, called a "Medinese victory", was often considered a draw
.
Under the modern rules
, a player with a bare king does not automatically lose, and may continue playing. However, a bare king can never give check, and can therefore never deliver a checkmate
. (A bare king can in some situations play to a stalemate
.) Therefore a bare king can never win, and if the opponent of a bare king for instance oversteps the time limit
, the game is drawn. If both players are left with a bare king, the game is immediately drawn. Similarly, if one player has only a king and bishop
or knight
while the opponent has a bare king, the game is immediately drawn.
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
and related games, a bare king (could be called a lone king for one of the players) is a situation in which one player has only the king
King (chess)
In chess, the king is the most important piece. The object of the game is to trap the opponent's king so that its escape is not possible . If a player's king is threatened with capture, it is said to be in check, and the player must remove the threat of capture on the next move. If this cannot be...
left on the board, while that player's fifteen other pieces
Chess piece
Chess pieces or chessmen are the pieces deployed on a chessboard to play the game of chess. The pieces vary in abilities, giving them different values in the game...
have been captured.
In some old versions of chess for example "baring chess", as well as the game of shatranj
Shatranj
Shatranj is an old form of chess, which came to the Western world from India. Modern chess has gradually developed from this game.-Etymology and origins:...
, leaving the opponent with a bare king was one way of winning the game (see checkmate#History). The relative weakness of the pieces in Shatranj may have made this form of a win desirable. A possible exception to the bare king rule was if the king immediately after being bared was able to recapture, leaving the opponent with a bare king as well. This situation, called a "Medinese victory", was often considered a draw
Draw (chess)
In chess, a draw is when a game ends in a tie. It is one of the possible outcomes of a game, along with a win for White and a win for Black . Usually, in tournaments a draw is worth a half point to each player, while a win is worth one point to the victor and none to the loser.For the most part,...
.
Under the modern rules
Rules of chess
The rules of chess are rules governing the play of the game of chess. While the exact origins of chess are unclear, modern rules first took form during the Middle Ages. The rules continued to be slightly modified until the early 19th century, when they reached essentially their current form. The...
, a player with a bare king does not automatically lose, and may continue playing. However, a bare king can never give check, and can therefore never deliver a checkmate
Checkmate
Checkmate is a situation in chess in which one player's king is threatened with capture and there is no way to meet that threat. Or, simply put, the king is under direct attack and cannot avoid being captured...
. (A bare king can in some situations play to a stalemate
Stalemate
Stalemate is a situation in chess where the player whose turn it is to move is not in check but has no legal moves. A stalemate ends the game in a draw. Stalemate is covered in the rules of chess....
.) Therefore a bare king can never win, and if the opponent of a bare king for instance oversteps the time limit
Time control
A time control is a mechanism in the tournament play of almost all two-player board games so that each round of the match can finish in a timely way and the tournament can proceed. Time controls are typically enforced by means of a game clock...
, the game is drawn. If both players are left with a bare king, the game is immediately drawn. Similarly, if one player has only a king and bishop
Bishop (chess)
A bishop is a piece in the board game of chess. Each player begins the game with two bishops. One starts between the king's knight and the king, the other between the queen's knight and the queen...
or knight
Knight (chess)
The knight is a piece in the game of chess, representing a knight . It is normally represented by a horse's head and neck. Each player starts with two knights, which begin on the row closest to the player, one square from the corner...
while the opponent has a bare king, the game is immediately drawn.