Author: Robert Hyatt
Date: 13:10:45 04/28/01
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On April 28, 2001 at 12:57:13, Peter Berger wrote: >Article 9 ( "The drawn game" ) and Article 12 ( "The conduct of the players") of >the FIDE "Laws of Chess" have been posted and discussed in the thread "Subject: >Re: Gambit Tiger 2.0: 6 seconds on K6-2 450" recently . This derived out of a >discussion about the proper way of announcing mates. > >The principle ones IMHO are 12.1 and 12.5 : > >12.1 High standards of etiquette are expected of the players. >12.5 It is forbidden to distract or annoy the opponent in any manner whatsoever; >this includes the persistent offer of a draw. > >I never read these rules before and didn't know some little tricky ones although >I played competitive chess for a few years - I wasn't surprised to learn that I >followed them nevertheless . > >Unless you are a chess arbiter I think all those rules are of little importance >; the players have subsets of the rules in their minds which are sufficient to >follow all of them ; there are also some unwritten ones ( about what is the >gentleman way to do it and about what is an exception which is tolerated but not >appreciated ) . > >Let's have a look at three of them : 9.1 ( Draw by agreement ) , 9.2 ( 3rd >repetition ) , 9.3 ( 50 moves rule ) . > >A.) Draw by agreement > >In general this is a rather peaceful situation - one offers , the other one >accepts or rejects . > >IMHO this is a very important feature for a chessprogram and I am happy if a >chessprogram can handle draw offers and can offer draw itself - it feels more >like a real chessplayer then . > >What's the proper way of doing it ? > >9.1 A player can propose a draw after making a move on the chessboard. He must >do so before stopping his own clock and starting his opponent's clock. > >Period . > >Rest of the article only deals with what to do if it wasn't done properly - why >not do it in the right way right away ( 12.1 +12.5 )? > >No commercial chessprogram does it properly ! > >Between human players when someone offers draw while it's his/her move a common >answer would be : " Please show me your move first ." > >B.) Draw by repetition > >A much trickier one - in fact nearly all rule disputes I observed were about >this one . > >The situation is different from the one in a.) : one player tries to win - the >opponent tries to draw . Else they could simply agree on a draw , shake hands >and walk away - so following 12.1 and 12.5 is even more important here . > >The principal idea here is : when it's my move I am allowed to act ; if it's the >opponent's move I sit there silently ( and won't tick or babble like Fritz 5.32 >) and won't disturb my opponent . > >When it's my turn I can either make a move or I can make a claim - when it's my >opponent's move I should do _nothing_ . > >9.2 The game is drawn, upon a correct claim by the player having the move, when >the same position, for at least the third time (not necessarily by repetition of >moves) > >a.) is about to appear, if he first writes his move on his scoresheet and >declares to the arbiter his intention to make this move, or >b.) has just appeared. > >Period . > >As the situation is calling for discussions anway there is no need to behave >badly or choosing an exception way of behaviour also covered by the rules - >simpy do it as expected ( 12.1 and 12.5 again ) . > >Note : " ...by the player having the move ..." : a player is not allowed to do >_anything_ while it's the opponent's turn . > >So if I am the one who wants to claim 3rd repetition : > >i.) either I note that I can reach the draw position by making a move : > >Then I write this move down , say : "I want to play this move and claim this is >a draw!" > >ii.) or I note the drawn position has just been reached by the last move of the >opponent > >Then I claim draw by pointing out that this has happened and I want to claim >draw . > > >This is the correct way of doing it - no commercial chessprogram does it >properly ! I can't speak for commercial programs. Mine does it properly. It claims a draw if the position has already been repeated 3 times, else it makes its move and then claims the draw by repetition. I can't imagine any program _not_ doing this correctly. > >So in Uri's little example 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.Ng1 Ng8 3.Nh3 Nf6 4.Ng1 Ng8 the white can >claim draw - it's their turn and a 3rd repetition has just happened . The Black >can't claim anything - it's not their turn (12.1 + 12.5 ) . They _could_ have >claimed draw by saying : " We want to play 4. ..Ng8 and claim draw " but they >didn't . > >C.) The 50 moves rule > >In fact this is very similar to B - I hope the general idea is already clear and >I don't won't to repeat everything I have written in the part about the >repetition rules . > >9.3 The game is drawn, upon a correct claim by the player having the move, if > >a.) he writes on his scoresheet, and declares to the arbiter his intention to >make a move which shall result in the last 50 moves having been made by each >player without the movement of any pawn and without the capture of any piece, or >b.) the last 50 consecutive moves have been made by each player without the >movement of any pawn and without the capture of any piece. > >Period . > >Please note again : " ... by the player having the move ... " . > >Again this is a fighting situation anyway : one player tries to reach a draw , >the other one tries to escape - the chessprogram should behave well ( 12.1 and >12.5 ) . > >And again : no commercial chessprogram does it properly ! Are you sure? The only point is that this rule is _optional_. You do not have to claim a draw at the 50 move point... both sides _could_ continue to play on... I know I handle this right. I have to. It comes up on ICC regularly. > >Do you read this , Christophe :-) ? > >pete > >PS: ( Btw , I hope my little idea about correct mate announcements is now >understandable, too . There are no rules for mate announcements but if there >were I'd expect them to be very similar to the draw rules )
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