checkmating
Trapping the king
Checkmating is the act of putting an opponent's king in checkmate—a position where it cannot escape capture, ending the chess game.
The word extends to any decisive, inescapable defeat: The prosecutor's final witness was checkmating—there was no recovery.
More commonly appears as the noun checkmate or verb checkmate.
Male crowned ruler
- queenMost powerful chess piece
- rookChess piece or corvid
- bishopDiocesan clergy head
- knightHonored mounted soldier
pawn · promotion · opposition · triangulation · coordination · technique · conversion · simplification
Giving up something precious
- pinPointed metal fastener
- skewerPointed cooking rod
- forkTined eating tool
- zugzwangObligatory weakening move situation
interference · overloading · attraction · battery · tempo · initiative · calculation · combination
Defeating through superior tactics
- corneringForcing into position
- trappingCatching with concealed devices
- outsmartingDefeating through superior intelligence
- defeatingOvercoming in competition
thwarting · blocking · countering · neutralizing · finishing · endgame · inevitable
Resounding, celebrated victory
- winAchieve victory
- conquestDefeating and seizing control
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- resignationVoluntary relinquishment of position
vanquishing · defeat · crushing · decisive · brilliancy · masterstroke · knockout · annihilation
Change in trajectory
king
Male crowned ruler
knight · pawn · promotion · opposition · triangulation · coordination · technique · conversion · simplification · zugzwang
sacrifice
Giving up something precious
zugzwang · interference · overloading · attraction · battery · tempo · initiative · calculation · combination · brilliancy
outmaneuvering
Defeating through superior tactics
- corneringForcing into position
- trappingCatching with concealed devices
- outsmartingDefeating through superior intelligence
defeating · thwarting · blocking · countering · neutralizing · finishing · endgame · inevitable
triumph
Resounding, celebrated victory
resignation · vanquishing · defeat · crushing · decisive · brilliancy · masterstroke · knockout · annihilation · demolition
deflection
Change in trajectory
checkmatinglosing
Failing to win
resigning · stalemate · draw · forfeiting · stalemating
checkmatingfalling into a trap
Becoming caught by trickery
blundering · succumbing · capitulating · losing position · collapsing
checkmatingsurrendering
Ceasing to resist
capitulating · conceding · failing · floundering · blundering
check, mate, stalemate, checkmate, stalemated, stalemates, checkmated, checkmates, stalemating