What does "stalemate" mean? A stalemate is ..

It is well known to fans of chess games that the result of rivalry can be not only the well-known "checkmate", but also another, much more ambiguous result, called "stalemate". This is a position in the chess game, when the king is not under the shah, but there is no possibility of steps in the figures. The situation is hopeless and from some times means a draw in the classic chess game.

Why are there no winners and losers?

How does the stalemate in chess arise? As a result of previous moves (in particular, the move made by the opposing player), a player who has the right to walk can not take advantage of this opportunity, since there are no variants of movement of the figures that do not violate the rules of the game. At the same time, the king is not put a check, which means that no one wins. As a result, there is a hopeless situation, there are no losers and winners, but there are no moves either.

This situation was resolved and marked in the 19th century as a draw, which is quite fair. It is this interpretation of the stalemate that is enshrined in the worldwide code of chess rules (FIDE). However earlier in other countries of the world other variants of interpretation of the arisen deadlock were offered. Let's consider some of them.

When the stalemate was not equated to a draw?

For example, in the Middle Ages in many countries of Europe, as well as in the Middle East, the winner was considered to be the one who made the last move in the chess game. In the 15-18 centuries in Spain, this situation also brought victory to the last resembling player, but its price was lower than the classic win. As a result, the winner did not receive all, but only half of the legal prize.

There were, however, other interpretations of this outcome of the game. The player who put the pat (that is, created a stalemate) was considered a loser. These rules operated in the 9th century in India, in the 17th century in Russia, and in England they were used up to the 18th century.

The draw in the chess game was announced in Italy and France, and since the 19th century it has become a generally accepted rule throughout the world.

"Our whole life is a game," or About stalemate situations outside the playing field

However, not only in chess, the term "stalemate" is used. This is today a fairly common expression, applicable to various life situations. It can be used in a variety of spheres of life, starting with a love / family relationship, ending with politics and economics.

Here are some typical examples, when the stalemate occurs in life.

Pat in his personal life

What does the stalemate in the family mean? Often there are cases when in the course of a joint life the relationship goes to a dead end. However, it is not possible to reach a decision to find a way out of it. For example, a classic story: a housewife wife is engaged in a house and raise children, her husband drinks, but brings money to the family. Their relationship has long been held only on children, but they can not part, children need both a father and mother, and the woman can not provide the family herself. On the other hand, the offspring grows up and watches a constantly drinking father and an unhappy mother. Is it worse to divorce or continue to "artificially support family life"? Often in such cases, women feel the desperation of their situation, but they can not solve anything. On the face stalemate, but with a strong desire, it is solvable.

There are also less tragic examples of such situations. The simplest is that two young people take care of the girl. One is a budding, promising and stable. In another she is in love, but in his constancy, and the opportunities to achieve success, I'm not sure. What to choose - confidence and comfort or love with obstacles? Here you have a stalemate. It is impossible to make a choice (move).

Pat in the economy

Another example from the field of economics. Disproportion in the Russian venture market by sectors and the ratio of free money and real investment. Most of the investors' funds are invested in fast-paying Internet projects (up to 70%), which in the long run have no special potential. At the same time, only 15% of investments available in the market enter the sphere of biotechnologies / pharmaceutics, which are the most attractive in terms of importance and growth rates, and even less available money for other segments. At the same time, there is a deficit of standing projects and companies in which it is possible to invest effectively. As a result, there is a stalemate - it is an excess of free cash along with a lack of projects for their investment.

Stalemate in the political arena

Often the term is used in relation to various political events. So, for example, there was a rally on Bolotnaya Square and a situation that arose in Ukraine. Particularly noteworthy was the situation prevailing in the Maidan. Protest actions that began with the support of European integration, grew into a mass movement as a result of the beating of protesters by the police. The movement began to gain increasing proportions in connection with the growth of dissatisfied (which is not surprising). But to curtail and leave was already impossible, otherwise it would be a defeat and later it would be necessary "to hide from the militia in any peace situation" (according to the sociologist Andrey Bychenko). However, the authorities could not simply take Zakharchenko to resign, but against the fighters of the Berkut (beaten students) to start criminal proceedings. That continued the confrontation, which led to numerous deaths and gave birth to what we have at the moment. The situation is stalemate, but you could get out of it with fewer losses with competent and deliberate behavior on the part of the authorities.

Conclusion: do not create stalemate situations

Examples when there is a dead end in the game or in life, a lot. And if in chess it's just a tie, then the stalemate in life can turn into a much more sad, and sometimes dangerous outcome. In the personal life, the feeling of hopelessness can gradually degenerate into a prolonged depression, in the economy - lead to loss of financial resources and disparities in a particular market, in politics - to confront the people and power, to diminish the authority of the government, and to the numerous victims (as it is not Once it happened not only in Ukraine, but also in many other countries).

Therefore, it is so important to always have a choice and not to allow the emergence of a stalemate, when there is no exit, and to continue the "game" is impossible.