Yes, you lose if your king is in checkmate in chess. You don't actually capture the king, but the game ends when it is in a position where it cannot escape capture on the next move.
In chess, the objective is to checkmate the opponent's king. This does not mean capturing the king. According to FIDE rules, the game concludes when a player's king is under attack (in "check") and there is no legal move to remove it from attack. This situation is called "checkmate" and it results in a loss for the player whose king is checkmated. Conversely, the game also ends if the position is a stalemate. Stalemate is when the player whose turn it is to move has no legal moves but is not in check and also results in a draw.
Here's a breakdown:
- Check: When your king is under attack.
- Checkmate: When your king is under attack and there is no legal move to escape the attack. This is when you lose.
- Stalemate: When the king is not in check, but it has no legal moves, resulting in a draw.
- Capturing the King: Under FIDE rules, capturing the king is not allowed. The game ends when checkmate occurs.
Therefore, it's important to focus on protecting your king while attacking your opponent's. It’s not about taking the king, it’s about putting your opponent's king in checkmate. Here's a table summarizing the key concepts:
| Concept | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Check | King is under attack. | Player must remove the king from attack. |
| Checkmate | King is under attack with no escape. | Game ends; player whose king is checkmated loses. |
| Stalemate | King is not in check and has no legal moves. | Game ends in a draw. |
| Capturing the King | Not allowed in standard chess. | Game ends immediately with a loss for the player whose king is in checkmate. |
