No, you cannot "eat" the king in chess in the literal sense of removing it from the board as you would other pieces.
While you can put the king in "check" (under attack), you cannot capture it. The objective of chess is to checkmate the king, which means placing it in a position where it is under attack (in check) and has no legal moves to escape. This includes moving to a safe square, blocking the attack with another piece, or capturing the attacking piece.
Key Differences: Checkmate vs. Capture
| Feature | Checkmate | Capture (of other pieces) |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome | The game ends; the player whose king is checkmated loses. | The captured piece is removed from the board. |
| King's Fate | The king remains on the board, but the game is over. | Not applicable to the king. |
| How it happens | The king is under attack and has no escape. | Moving a piece to a square occupied by the opponent's piece. |
Stalemate
Another way a game can end is with a stalemate. Stalemate occurs when a player has no legal moves to make and their king is not in check. The game ends in a draw.
In Summary
The king is never "captured" in chess. You win by checkmating your opponent's king. You cannot "eat" the king, and the game ends when the checkmate occurs.
