Question: can you win with only a king in chess

Answer: No, Under modern rules, a player with a bare king does not automatically lose and may continue playing. A bare king can never give check, however, and can therefore never deliver a checkmate. (A bare king can in some situations play to a stalemate.) Therefore, a bare king can never win. For example, if the opponent of a bare king oversteps the time limit, the game is drawn. If both players are left with a bare king, the game is immediately drawn. Similarly, if one player has only a king and bishop or knight while the opponent has a bare king, the game is immediately drawn.