Don't Be cRule - How to Properly Offer a Draw

Proper Offering of Draws

Many junior (and even some experienced players…) think that it’s okay to just throw a draw offer at their opponent at any time, or, worse, to ask for a draw every couple of moves.  A player may offer a draw to their opponent, but there is a proper protocol to follow.    Hopefully these notes will help you know when it’s legal to offer a draw, how to do it, and when you should just hold off on offering a draw to your opponent.

Remember that when the clock is running, the player who is on-move has the right to not have their thinking disturbed.  This includes being disturbed with a draw offer from their opponent.  A draw offer should be made on your time, after making your move on the board (formally, this is called “determining” your move in the rules) and before pressing your clock (formally “completing” your move).

Note that any draw offer made is live and cannot be withdrawn.  This includes offers made incorrectly, say when their opponent is on-move.

If an offer is made prior to making a move, the opponent can request that the opponent make their move before considering it.  Note that this is not necessary to state – the offer made cannot be withdrawn, and if made prior to making a move, the offering player’s clock will be running.  Eventually the offering player will have to make a move or they will flag.  If they don’t realize this, and ask for a decision (such as “Well, do you accept?”), their opponent is still within their rights to see a move first (and can reply with something like “Let’s see a move first.”).  Even here, it’s important to note that the offer cannot be withdrawn.

Once any offer is made, the opponent can consider it, on their time, and either accept it or reject it verbally or by making a move themselves.

Etiquette for draw offers

What follows here are not hard rules, but good guidelines, especially in a social environment like club play.

·       In all cases, ASSUME BEST INTENT from your opponent.  Players at different strengths or even just different temperaments see different things in a position.  One player may think (correctly or not!!) that a particular King and Pawn formation is dead drawn.  The other doesn’t realize this, or perhaps knows how to convert a complex position.  Either way, they have a right to play on, and it doesn’t mean they are being disrespectful by declining.  Even if a position is theoretically drawn, your opponent may still ask you (by declining a draw) to prove it.  The use of delay clocks means that time should not be an issue in clearly drawn situations.

·       One general rule is “Offer a draw if you think your opponent won’t know how to make any progress.”  This can happen for several reasons, and changes based on the strength of your opponent.  Note that this doesn’t mean you should offer a draw when you’re worse.  It’s OK to offer a draw if you see that your worse, BUT don’t think your opponent will see why or know how to beat you in that position.

·       In general, if you’re down material without counterplay, don’t offer a draw, and certainly don’t offer it more than once.  If you’re clearly worse, your opponent knows you will take a draw and will offer one if they prefer it (say, down on time or winning requires particularly difficult technique).

·       If you have offered a draw and it was declined, consider it like “passing the speaking stick” – your opponent should be the next to offer the draw if no progress has been made, or the position hasn’t significantly changed.  You’ve signaled that you’re likely to be okay with a draw.  When they come to realize that it’s drawn, they will offer the draw back to you.  This is one of the things that is covered by rule – Rule 20G allows TD to impose a penalty for annoying behavior, which would include multiple draw offers when worse or without significant changes in the position.

TL;DR for offering a draw

• DO
• Be on move
• Make your move first
• Offer a draw to your opponent
• Finally, hit your clock to complete your move
• DON'T
• Don't offer another draw unless circumstances of the position or clock have materially changed
• Don’t take offense at a draw request or a declined offer.  Remember, players see different possibilities (correct or not) in a position based on their relative strength and experience