1. Joined
    21 Feb '03
    Moves
    1377
    13 Feb '04 20:32
    I've been ducking and doging for quite a while in a game and we have gone ten move without a pawn being taken. I read somewhere that I can claim a draw under the rules of RHP. Is this true?
  2. Standard memberPhlabibit
    Mystic Meg
    tinyurl.com/3sbbwd4
    Joined
    27 Mar '03
    Moves
    17242
    13 Feb '04 21:522 edits
    No, that is not the rule. The rule is 50 moves with no pawns moved or captured.

    P-

    Edit! You can offer a draw, but your opponent doesn't need to accept.
  3. UAE
    Joined
    01 Oct '03
    Moves
    5607
    15 Feb '04 11:22
    What if he has a king and a horse and i have a king. Nither of us can win. Do i have to wait for 50 moves till it ends.
  4. Standard memberthire
    Xebite
    in front of you
    Joined
    06 Jan '03
    Moves
    15730
    15 Feb '04 12:23
    Originally posted by Chorney
    What if he has a king and a horse and i have a king. Nither of us can win. Do i have to wait for 50 moves till it ends.
    you can play even 400 moves... if none of U 2 offers a draw, the other one can naver accept the draw...
    you always can OFFER a draw, the opponent can then accpet it.

    what is the 50 moves rule for then?
    you move around and you opponet never accepts your draw offers (as in the situation you described), after 50 non pawns moves and captures you can CLAIM the draw. it is not neccasary to offer the draw.
    here at RHP this is not possible directly. contact russ (message, feedback, ...) and tell him the game id.
    okay?
    th
  5. e2
    Joined
    29 Jun '03
    Moves
    3535
    15 Feb '04 14:00
    Originally posted by Chorney
    What if he has a king and a horse and i have a king. Nither of us can win. Do i have to wait for 50 moves till it ends.
    There is a provision in the Laws of Chess for a draw in such a case*. A message to Russ (as suggested by Thire) should secure the draw, although I can't imagine any player being unwilling to agree a draw with K+N vs K.

    *Article 1.3 states 'If the position is such that neither player can possibly checkmate, the game is drawn.' and Article 5.2b reiterates.
  6. Standard memberAl Green
    Isle Of Chess
    Memphis,TN,USA
    Joined
    27 Jan '03
    Moves
    4087
    17 Feb '04 07:45
    There is an exception to the 50 move rule: when an ending is known to be a win, a player is allowed twice the number of moves it should take him with best play. (i.e. king/bishop/knight vs king is a win with 34 moves of best play, therefore player is allowed 68 moves to effect checkmate--otherwise a draw can be claimed.)
  7. Joined
    26 May '02
    Moves
    72546
    17 Feb '04 10:04
    Originally posted by Al Green
    There is an exception to the 50 move rule: when an ending is known to be a win, a player is allowed twice the number of moves it should take him with best play. (i.e. king/bishop/knight vs king is a win with 34 moves of best play, therefore player is allowed 68 moves to effect checkmate--otherwise a draw can be claimed.)
    This is wrong. It's 50 moves, without exceptions.
  8. e2
    Joined
    29 Jun '03
    Moves
    3535
    17 Feb '04 10:31
    I've heard of that exception before, but the current laws don't mention it. As Mr. Tebb said, 50 moves and that's that. I believe the exception mentioned was FIDE law some decades ago, but no longer.
  9. Standard memberAl Green
    Isle Of Chess
    Memphis,TN,USA
    Joined
    27 Jan '03
    Moves
    4087
    18 Feb '04 05:14
    OK, Sorry, and thanks for the update. I was reading a book published by Milton Hanauer, M.S., J.D. in 1957 (Then director of NYC Interscholastic Chess League, former N.Y. State Champion and member U.S. International Team.)
  10. e2
    Joined
    29 Jun '03
    Moves
    3535
    18 Feb '04 09:43
    Originally posted by Al Green
    OK, Sorry, and thanks for the update. I was reading a book published by Milton Hanauer, M.S., J.D. in 1957 (Then director of NYC Interscholastic Chess League, former N.Y. State Champion and member U.S. International Team.)
    Was the book Chess Made Simple? If so, that's probably where I read it, too.
  11. Standard memberAl Green
    Isle Of Chess
    Memphis,TN,USA
    Joined
    27 Jan '03
    Moves
    4087
    19 Feb '04 03:25
    Bingo! Recently acquired from an old friend. I think that was an excellent BEGINNERS book though it does have a few mistakes in it... Thanks again.
  12. Joined
    26 Apr '03
    Moves
    26771
    23 Feb '04 20:34
    Originally posted by Al Green
    OK, Sorry, and thanks for the update. I was reading a book published by Milton Hanauer, M.S., J.D. in 1957 (Then director of NYC Interscholastic Chess League, former N.Y. State Champion and member U.S. International Team.)
    Yes - It was a silly rule because chess theorists then decided it was great fun to find loads of obscure combinations of pieces that would lead to a win in huge numbers of moves.

    All these obscure combinations, and the max moves, had to be listed somewhere so tournament directors could refer to them and the list had to be updated constantly, driving everyone mad.

    Also it made games with those combinations of pieces really long and boring as the players had to make loads of moves, and didn't want to agree a draw to a theoretically won game, but unless they were chess theorists, they had no chance of finding the winning moves.

    It could also be argued that (as players had to be told what their max moves were) they would then get have extra information about their winning chances, so the rule would affect their play.

    All in all - a fine example of the principle that things are always more complicated than you think.
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