perpetual check

American  

noun

Chess.

1. a continuing series of checks resulting in a drawn game because they cannot be halted or evaded without resulting in checkmate or a serious disadvantage.

2. the situation in which this occurs.

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perpetual check British  

noun

1. chess a consecutive series of checks that the checked player cannot avoid, leading to a drawn game

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Etymology

Origin of perpetual check

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

Nxd2, Black has a perpetual check with 22…Ne4+ 23.

From Washington Times • May 23, 2023

Rg3+ Kh6 and White, down a boatload of material, has nothing better than perpetual check.

From Washington Times • Feb. 21, 2023

Qh5 Rxf5, the perpetual check threat disappears and the Black pieces overwhelm White’s queen like, in Browne’s words, “three hungry hyenas vs. one old lion.”

From Washington Times • Jul. 1, 2015

White even disdains a perpetual check with 16.

From Washington Times • Sep. 23, 2014

R - Q R 5, to which he would have answered Q - B 5 ch and drawn the game by perpetual check.

From Chess Fundamentals by Capablanca, José Raúl