deadlock, dead end, impasse, stalemate, standstill (noun)

a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible

"reached an impasse on the negotiations"

stalemate (verb)

drawing position in chess: any of a player's possible moves would place his king in check

stalemate (verb)

subject to a stalemate

stalemate (Noun)

The state in which the player to move is not in check but has no legal moves, resulting in a draw.

stalemate (Noun)

Any situation that has no obvious possible movement, but does not involve any personal loss.

stalemate (Verb)

To bring about a state in which the player to move is not in check but has no legal moves.

stalemate (Verb)

To bring about a stalemate, in which no advance in an argument is achieved.

Stalemate

Stalemate is a situation in the game of chess where the player whose turn it is to move is not in check but has no legal moves. A stalemate ends the game in a draw. Stalemate is covered in the rules of chess. During the endgame, stalemate is a resource that can enable the player with the inferior position to draw the game. In more complicated positions, stalemate is much rarer, usually taking the form of a swindle that succeeds only if the superior side is inattentive. Stalemate is also a common theme in endgame studies and other chess problems. The outcome of a stalemate was standardized as a draw in the 19th century. Before this standardization, its treatment varied widely, including being deemed a win for the stalemating player, a half-win for that player, or a loss for that player; not being permitted; and resulting in the stalemated player missing a turn. Some regional chess variants have not allowed a player to play a stalemating move. In different versions of suicide chess, another chess variant, stalemate may or may not be treated as a draw. The word "stalemate" is also used for a metaphor when a conflict has reached an impasse and resolution seems difficult or impossible, i.e. a no-win situation.

Stalemate

Stalemate is a situation in chess where the player whose turn it is to move is not in check and has no legal move. Stalemate results in a draw. During the endgame, stalemate is a resource that can enable the player with the inferior position to draw the game rather than lose. In more complex positions, stalemate is much rarer, usually taking the form of a swindle that succeeds only if the superior side is inattentive. Stalemate is also a common theme in endgame studies and other chess problems. The outcome of a stalemate was standardized as a draw in the 19th century. Before this standardization, its treatment varied widely, including being deemed a win for the stalemating player, a half-win for that player, or a loss for that player; not being permitted; and resulting in the stalemated player missing a turn. Stalemate rules vary in other games of the chess family.