What is Stalemate?

Stalemate is a position in which the player to move has no legal move but is not in check. Stalemate results in an immediate draw. Stalemate is one of the most important defensive resources in the endgame—a player facing certain defeat may seek stalemate as a last resort. It is also a common source of accidental draws when the winning side carelessly restricts the opponent's king without delivering checkmate.