A situation in which failure is the only
option available.
There are no other moves left. You just have
exhausted every other possible option and the
chances of a plan actually working after a check mate situation are zero to none.
Steve: I have to read 60 pages/write a 20 page
thesis that's due in an hour and I haven't started.
WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?
Friend:
I don't know what to tell you- sounds like a check mate situation to me.