Don't be cRule - How to Claim a Draw

 Hi folks - Happy New Year !! 

I hope everyone is having a great holiday, and hoping for everyone to have great chess in 2025.  Hope to see some of you tomorrow at Hales Corners, and the rest of you next week in Waukesha!   

(Since this is a chess rules post, I'm sure you're wondering as much as I am about new FIDE/USCF rule updates for 1) making playoffs for titles optional, and 2) making match fixing less illegal than it has been up to now...will keep you posted if I see anything.  OK - back to the scheduled content...)

Today it's time to review another thing that juniors (and adults) don't always get right!  Claiming a draw, and knowing what you need to support the claim, can save many 1/2 points over time.  It's not hard, but you do need to have a few simple things committed to memory.  

As always, my main references are the USCF Rules of Chess (you should really own a copy of your very own if you're spending time reading about rules on a chess club blog...), personal game experience, and Senior TDs around the Milwaukee area.  Feel free to follow along with the parts of Rule 14 - The Drawn Game that we're reviewing.

Claiming a draw

There are a few different types of draw claims that you can make.  The logistics for each are the same: When you think you've satisfied the requirements for that claim, stop the clocks and state your claim to your opponent.  If they agree, it's drawn.  If not, don't argue, get a TD and let them resolve the issue (see the Don't be cRule post on Getting a TD Ruling).  

One thing to remember here is that any claim is also explicitly a draw offer.  If you make this claim, and the opponent agrees to a draw, there's no need to get a TD - the game is drawn.

Now let's review the specifics (in rough order of likelihood of seeing them over the board):

Triple occurrence of position (not repetition of moves or perpetual check) - Rule 14C

Note that many players think that a perpetual check means the game is a draw, or that if players at some point repeat moves, then the game is drawn.  This is not the case.  The only claim of this type that a player can make is whether, before they move, either the current position on the board has already been reached three times OR if they make the move they intend to make, then that position would be the third time that position is reached.  Note that ALL aspects of the position must be identical - castling rights, en passant rights, and all pieces on identical squares.

The thing to remember here is that if your move would cause the repetition you are claiming - DO NOT ACTUALLY MAKE THE MOVE ON THE BOARD, but DO write it on your scoresheet.  Note that this is the one and only time you are supposed to, by rule, write the move before playing it on the board.  If your opponent's move has caused the repetition, don't do anything to disturb the position.

It is permissible by rule that a TD could decide to rule in your favor if you have made the move on the board, but that's not the proper procedure.  The fewer decisions you ask the TD to make, the better.  Always.

You MUST be on move to make this claim - like any draw offer/claim.  You cannot claim this after you have moved and pressed your clock.  If you fail to stop the clocks when making this claim, your time will continue to run.  This could be a problem...  The TD may remind you that you should stop the clock, but it's best to know the proper procedure.

Insufficient material to continue or insufficient material to win on time (also frequently called "insufficient material to mate") - Rule 14D/E

These rules are very similar, but the differences here are whether we're talking about material for both sides (14D) or just your opponent (14E).  

For the first case, 14D, a draw can be claimed if there are no legal moves that could lead to your opponent checkmating you.  This does not mean best defense - it does mean you can't claim a draw if you could be mated if your opponent made all of your moves as well (a helpmate).  This is a far stronger claim than for 14E, and positions explicitly listed are K v K, K v K(BorN), and KB v KB for Bs of the same color.  For more complicated positions, this doesn't take ratings into account or require your opponent to show the mate.  It is the TDs evaluation of the position - if there's a possible mate, this will be denied.  This means that, typically, claims for positions with Ps remaining are not likely to be accepted.

For the second case, 14E, a draw can be claimed, even if you exceed the time control (flag is down) if your opponent has specific material: K, KB, KN, KNN, as it is normally impossible to mate with such material.  If there there happens to be a position with this material where there is a forced win (exceedingly rare), this claim will be denied.

The "50-move" rule - Rule 14F (and 14K - TD can act after 75 moves)

A draw can be claimed if both sides have made 50 moves without a pawn move or capture.  The rule is intended to provide a resource if no progress is made in a position.  Over time there were variants of this rule (USCF and FIDE) that tried to take into account various theoretical wins that take longer than this limit, but for the current USCF rule set, 50 moves is the limit (although the TD can post exceptions they would allow).

Note that this claim can be made even if there is "mate on the move" - if it would be the 51st move, their opponent can claim a draw.  Amazingly, this happened yesterday in the final of the 2024 FIDE Women's World Blitz championship.  Even though the final position is a forced M3 ( 153. ... Rg8+ 154 Kh6 Rg7 155. Rd8+ (but not now Rxg7+?? with stalemate!) Rg8 156. Rxg8#), this is irrelevant since the move counter had expired. so Ju Wenjun could claim the draw.  For those wondering, YES, they played 153 moves in a 3min / 2sec increment format at an insane accuracy.  For those scoring at home (et al), it looks like the last capture was actually on move 83 so the claim would have been valid for 20 moves, but she waited until forced mate was on the board to make her claim.  It's like they knew I was writing this post, lol.

In a sudden death situation, players may have incomplete scoresheets or may not be keeping score.  Either player has the right to ask a TD to assist in counting moves.  Note that, in this case, the count will start at 0 if the scoresheets of the claimant is incomplete, or at the number the scoresheet supports.  The opponent's scoresheet is not used to initialize this count, only the claimant's.  The TD may count manually or insert a clock with a move counter.  Note that you CANNOT ask the TD for the current count - they will step in and make the claim for the player(s) at 50 moves.  Actually, it looks as if she could have claimed the draw any time after 

This post is about claiming a draw, not TD unilateral actions, but this is a quick mention about Rule 14K - an arbiter / TD can intercede and declare a game drawn after 75 moves without a capture or pawn move.  

Final takeaway - if the 50th move (75th for 14K) is mate, that would stand.  If mate is the 51st move (76th for 14K), then the game is drawn.

Both flags down in sudden death - Rule 14G

This is simple - it's drawn.  It is the players' responsibility to manage the clocks.  If neither claims a win on time before both flags are down, the game is drawn.

The one exception is if checkmate is played over the board before "both flags down" is claimed.  If there is a dispute about whether the claim was actually made before mate (NOT whether mate was played before the flag fell!), then the TD can rely on testimony by players and witnesses.  The presumption is that the checkmate is valid unless there is clear and compelling evidence that the claim was made before checkmate was played on the board, in which case the game will be ruled drawn.

Insufficient losing chances (ILC) in sudden death - Rule 14H

This next sentence may save you from making a bad draw claim of ILC (like I recently did - fortunately 14E saved me 1/2 point) and send you back to understand your other rights above:

No Claim Of Insufficient Losing Chances In Sudden Death Will Be Allowed

In cases where you have delay or increment in use you almost certainly have rights discussed above under Rules 14D/E/F.  Note that this is almost always the case for WCC events.

In the rare case where:

1. the TD allows it AND
2. there is no delay or increment being used AND
3. a player in a sudden death time control has two minutes or less remaining, but
4. the player has NOT flagged

THEN AND ONLY THEN could a player make a claim of ILC.  In this case and only this case, the TD has the following resolutions possible (note that players cannot request addition of a delay or increment clock, this can only be done at the TDs discretion):

• If the game is clearly drawn*, the TD can declare the game drawn.
• If the game is clearly not drawn*, the TD can subtract up to a minute of the claimant's time and have the game continue..
• If the game is unclear, the TD may set a delay clock to 1/2 of the claimant's remaining time (!), add a delay, and have the game continue - the player's draw claim is denied, but they reserve their Rule 14D/E/F rights.
• If the game is unclear, and no delay clock is available, the TD may a) deny the claim while either inviting a later claim or b) watch the game and reserve judgment without adjusting either player's clock.

* Note that "clearly drawn" or "clearly not drawn" have specific meanings here:

• The ratings of the actual players DO NOT MATTER.
• In the claimant's position, the game is clearly drawn if a C-player could very likely (more than 90%) hold this draw against a Master player if both sides had ample time.  Note that this means that a claimant's position with even an extra piece might not meet this standard...
• A TD may ask for help evaluating this from the players and other strong players.
• The preferred method, and especially if there is any doubt about this evaluation, the addition of a delay clock is always available to the TD, with time adjusted as mentioned above.

TL;DR for claiming a draw

• know the actual requirements for the kind of draw you're claiming
• For a 14F 50-move claim - if your move completes the 50th move set, write it down but don't make it on the board.   If your opponent's last move completes the set, you don't need to do anything but make the claim.
• For a 14C triple occurrence of position claim - if your move completes the claim,  make the move on the board and write it down but don't complete your move by pressing your clock.  If your opponent's move completes the repetition you don't need to do anything but make the claim.
• know what positions qualify for a 14D claim - remember your pieces can be used as traitors to helpmate you for this claim, so it's usually very bare, simple positions that qualify
• know how to maneuver your opponent so you can make a 14E claim even if your flag falls (take that last P so it's KN - good claim - instead of KNP - bad claim...)
• stop clocks and state the claim to your opponent.   If they agree, it's drawn
• if they don't agree, get a TD
• abide by the decision made
• Note: There Is No Insufficient Losing Chances Claim under USCF rules, and it's certainly not relevant if delay or increment is in use !