A dead position is defined as a position where neither player can win the game by any sequence of legal moves.

Any positions with the following pieces only are known as dead positions due to insufficient material:

* king against king;

* king against king and bishop;

* king against king and knight;

* king and bishop against king and bishop, with both bishops on squares of the same color.

Insufficient material is not the only condition for a dead position. There are positions where the pieces on the board would be sufficient to mate if arranged otherwise. For example in the diagram here white has just played h5 and now neither side can no longer open up the position.