Draws

The game ends in a draw if any of these conditions occur:

  • The player to move is not in check and has no legal move. This situation is called a stalemate. An example of such a position is shown in the diagram below. stalemate example

    Black to move is in stalemate, since Black's king has no legal move, and is not in check. The game is drawn.

  • The game reaches a dead position.
  • Both players agree to a draw after one of the players makes such an offer.
  • The player having the move claims a draw by correctly declaring that one of the following conditions exists, or by correctly declaring an intention to make a move which will bring about one of these conditions:
    • The same board position has occurred three times with the same player to move and all pieces having the same rights to move, including the right to castle or capture en passant (see threefold repetition rule).
    • There has been no capture or pawn move in the last fifty moves by each player, if the last move was not a checkmate (see fifty-move rule).
  • The arbiter intervenes to declare a draw, without a draw request necessary:
    • When the same board position has occurred five times (see fivefold repetition rule).
    • When the moves without capture or pawn move extend up to seventy-five.

At one time, if a player was able to check the opposing king continually (perpetual check) and the player indicated their intention to do so, the game was drawn. This rule is no longer in effect; however, players will usually agree to a draw in such a situation, since either the rule on threefold repetition or the fifty-move rule will eventually be applicable.