to clarify 3xrep.of pos.

I understand what 3xrep.is. My question is the player about to make the move that would be the 3x, does he HAVE to declare a draw? If not, may the 2nd player declare 3xrep. before he makes his move?

Originally posted by @earl-of-wellington
I understand what 3xrep.is. My question is the player about to make the move that would be the 3x, does he HAVE to declare a draw? If not, may the 2nd player declare 3xrep. before he makes his move?

On here there is no automatic draw for the 3xrep move.I think it's the player who's turn it is to move after the 3rd repetition(I.e the 6th move in the sequence)who gets the chance to claim the draw by making an arbitrary move and pressing the claim draw button.
I also believe that if he misses the opportunity he cannot claim a draw later.
Don't take this as gospel.I may be wrong

Originally posted by @earl-of-wellington
I understand what 3xrep.is. My question is the player about to make the move that would be the 3x, does he HAVE to declare a draw? If not, may the 2nd player declare 3xrep. before he makes his move?

The first player is not required to claim a draw.

The opponent may claim a draw without moving, if a 3rd repetition just occurred.

Here the player has to make a move when claiming a 3 fold rep.
(OTB if it is not obvious then it's best to get a controller and tell
them you are about to repeat the position for the 3rd time.)

The same position does not have to be reached on consecutive moves.
it can for example appear on move 22, then 32 then 42.
Old Russian rules once stated the moves hav to be consecutive and this
caught out Petrosian in game 3 of their 1971 match.

" I am, generally speaking, a prudent person, and in chess I mainly fear two things:
sealing an impossible move in an adjourned game, and falling into a threefold repetition
with a better position. When Fischer demanded the draw I could not understand what triple repetition he was talking about."

A player can claim the draw on the 4th - 5th- 6th etc time the same position has arose but they
cannot back date a claim at a new position by saying a there was a 3 fold rep a few moves ago.

Note: there is no such thing as 'perpetual check' in chess (though we all use the term)
Perpetual check is covered by the three fold repetition rule.

---

and I'm fed up with sports commentators saying 'this game is currently a stalemate'.
Stalemate is the end of the game. it is over...finished....no more play.

Hi Big dog,

Here I thought you had to make a move at the same time as claiming a draw.
I have to admit I've not done it here all that often. Could be wrong.

Originally posted by @bigdoggproblem
The first player is not required to claim a draw.

The opponent may claim a draw without moving, if a 3rd repetition just occurred.

I think you may be correct.I was thinking about the "offer draw" situation where you press the button and the message "a draw will be offered with this move" appears

Originally posted by @venda
I think you may be correct.I was thinking about the "offer draw" situation where you press the button and the message "a draw will be offered with this move" appears

Are there two buttons?: "Offer draw" which the other player can accept or decline, and "claim draw" which the other player cannot not accept? I'd never noticed.

Thank you, BDP. You have answered my question.

Originally posted by @moonbus
Are there two buttons?: "Offer draw" which the other player can accept or decline, and "claim draw" which the other player cannot not accept? I'd never noticed.

Yep. If you 'Offer draw', your opponent will get the message, and a button to accept. To decline, just make a move.

If you 'Claim draw', the site back-end gets the message, and it is then decided whether your claim is valid. I don't know how it works behind the scenes, but AFAIAA the rules are the same as OTB, and in any case your opponent has no say in it.

OTB a claim of a draw, even if not valid, is also considered an offer of a draw, and may be accepted by the opponent. I do not know if that is also the case on the site.

Got it. Thanks.

Originally posted by @bigdoggproblem
The first player is not required to claim a draw.

The opponent may claim a draw without moving, if a 3rd repetition just occurred.

I thought the procedure is that the player claiming the repetition had to say: "With my next move the position will be repeated for the third time and the game drawn.", which would normally be the same as you describe except that although the position at the start of the move might be repeated for the third time the position at the end of the move might not.

For example:

Originally posted by @greenpawn34
Hi Big dog,

Here I thought you had to make a move at the same time as claiming a draw.
I have to admit I've not done it here all that often. Could be wrong.

Hi GP, the web page needs a fire button, so to speak, so it knows the user intends that a request be made of the server - so they'd have to set it up like this whatever the rules.

Originally posted by @deepthought
I thought the procedure is that the player claiming the repetition had to say: "With my next move the position will be repeated for the third time and the game drawn.", which would normally be the same as you describe except that although the position at the start of the move might be repeated for the third time the position at the end of the move might ...[text shortened]... f 3. Nh6, despite the position at the start of black's move having occurred three times.} [/pgn]

Blacks move Nh6 breaks the sequence.
The repeated moves have to be consecutive

Originally posted by @venda
Blacks move Nh6 breaks the sequence.
The repeated moves have to be consecutive

No, they very emphatically do not. Besides, the rule is not about repeated moves at all. It's about repeated positions. Many people spread misconceptions about this rule, but if you don't want to make yourself look foolish at your next tournament, better read the official FIDE handbook. In the current Laws of Chess, it's article 9.2.1.