Checkmate
noun
A position in chess where the king is directly attacked and there is no way to remove the threat.
With a clever move, she reached checkmate and won the game.
Often appears as...
- declare/checkmate
- deliver/checkmate
verb
To place (the opponent's king in chess) in a position to be captured with no way to remove the threat.
My opponent checkmated me in twenty moves.
Often appears as...
- checkmate opponent
- checkmate in x moves
verb
To defeat or gain a decisive advantage over someone.
The move checkmated their plans of expansion.
Often appears as...
- checkmate plans
- checkmate opponent
Usage tips
Idiomatic
noun
A position in chess where the king is directly attacked and there is no way to remove the threat.
With a clever move, she reached checkmate and won the game.
Often appears as...
- declare/checkmate
- deliver/checkmate
verb
To place (the opponent's king in chess) in a position to be captured with no way to remove the threat.
My opponent checkmated me in twenty moves.
Often appears as...
- checkmate opponent
- checkmate in x moves
verb
To defeat or gain a decisive advantage over someone.
The move checkmated their plans of expansion.
Often appears as...
- checkmate plans
- checkmate opponent
Usage tips
Idiomatic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/2Chess Specific
Used strictly in the context of playing chess and represents the end of the game.
He studied the board for his final move that would lead to checkmate.
Pro Tip 2/2Ultimate Win
In chess, it means the highest achievement by winning the game.
Her strategy was so advanced, she could see the checkmate coming.
Pro Tip 1/2Chess Specific
Used strictly in the context of playing chess and represents the end of the game.
He studied the board for his final move that would lead to checkmate.
Pro Tip 2/2Ultimate Win
In chess, it means the highest achievement by winning the game.
Her strategy was so advanced, she could see the checkmate coming.
Pro Tip 1/2Chess Specific
Used strictly in the context of playing chess and represents the end of the game.
He studied the board for his final move that would lead to checkmate.
Pro Tip 2/2Ultimate Win
In chess, it means the highest achievement by winning the game.
Her strategy was so advanced, she could see the checkmate coming.
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Video examples
A brief history of chess...
the best human players. But just like the game they’ve mastered, these machines are products of human ingenuity. And perhaps that same ingenuity will guide us out of this apparent checkmate.
Video examples
Zainab Salbi: Women,...
Checkmate. We are missing a completely other side of wars. We are missing my mother's story, who made sure with every siren, with every raid, with every cut off-of electricity,
Video examples
Giving checkmate is...
checkmate and he resigned this game gave me a lot of energy and strength to fight in my upcoming tournaments event competitions and I fought myself into
Video examples
A brief history of chess...
the best human players. But just like the game they’ve mastered, these machines are products of human ingenuity. And perhaps that same ingenuity will guide us out of this apparent checkmate.
Video examples
Zainab Salbi: Women,...
Checkmate. We are missing a completely other side of wars. We are missing my mother's story, who made sure with every siren, with every raid, with every cut off-of electricity,
Video examples
Giving checkmate is...
checkmate and he resigned this game gave me a lot of energy and strength to fight in my upcoming tournaments event competitions and I fought myself into
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Aung San Suu Kyi
Burmese Activist
If you look at the democratic process as a game of chess, there have to be many, many moves before you get to checkmate. And simply because you do not make any checkmate in three moves does not mean it's stalemate. There's a vast difference between no checkmate and stalemate. This is what the democratic process is like.
Quote examples
Michael Beschloss
American Historian
Franklin Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan each suffered through his second four years. FDR was checkmated by Congress and the Supreme Court. Ike was dogged by Sputnik and reckless charges that the United States suffered from a Missile Gap. Reagan had to wend his way through Iran-Contra.
Quote examples
Daniel Naroditsky
American Celebrity
Most beginners who have learned the point system will only consider a sacrifice if it leads directly to checkmate or if the material can be won back by force. A Grandmaster, though, will frequently sacrifice for less tangible compensation, such as a lead in development or a superior pawn structure.
Quote examples
David Douglas Duncan
American Photographer
With Germany conquered, the Kremlin checkmated, Japan converted, it became easier - safer - to peek around looking for someone to fear... and maybe do something about. Ideally, somebody far away, from a country about which almost nothing was known.
Quote examples
Max Euwe
Dutch Celebrity
Whoever sees no other aim in the game than that of giving checkmate to one's opponent will never become a good Chess player.
Quote examples
Paul Williams
American Musician
If I allow the fact that I am a Negro to checkmate my will to do, now, I will inevitably form the habit of being defeated.
Quote examples
Howard Staunton
English Celebrity
When neither party can give checkmate, the game is drawn.
Quote examples
Aung San Suu Kyi
Burmese Activist
If you look at the democratic process as a game of chess, there have to be many, many moves before you get to checkmate. And simply because you do not make any checkmate in three moves does not mean it's stalemate. There's a vast difference between no checkmate and stalemate. This is what the democratic process is like.
Quote examples
Michael Beschloss
American Historian
Franklin Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan each suffered through his second four years. FDR was checkmated by Congress and the Supreme Court. Ike was dogged by Sputnik and reckless charges that the United States suffered from a Missile Gap. Reagan had to wend his way through Iran-Contra.
Quote examples
Daniel Naroditsky
American Celebrity
Most beginners who have learned the point system will only consider a sacrifice if it leads directly to checkmate or if the material can be won back by force. A Grandmaster, though, will frequently sacrifice for less tangible compensation, such as a lead in development or a superior pawn structure.
Quote examples
David Douglas Duncan
American Photographer
With Germany conquered, the Kremlin checkmated, Japan converted, it became easier - safer - to peek around looking for someone to fear... and maybe do something about. Ideally, somebody far away, from a country about which almost nothing was known.
Quote examples
Max Euwe
Dutch Celebrity
Whoever sees no other aim in the game than that of giving checkmate to one's opponent will never become a good Chess player.
Quote examples
Paul Williams
American Musician
If I allow the fact that I am a Negro to checkmate my will to do, now, I will inevitably form the habit of being defeated.
Quote examples
Howard Staunton
English Celebrity
When neither party can give checkmate, the game is drawn.
Example 1 of 7
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