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Questions tagged [rules]

Questions relating to the rules of chess

The rules of chess are generally accepted to be defined in the handbook FIDE Laws of Chess.

For more information, visit this Wikipedia page.

646 questions
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What happens if you touch a piece that cannot move?

I heard that in formal games you have to move the piece that you touch first. What if the piece cannot move, as in there are no legal moves that involve that piece? What would happen in that circumstance?
user30315
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Is it legal to play a move without hitting the clock?

In the game Andrey Esipenko - Nihal Sarin (2018 World Blitz Championship), after 7. Qb3 c4 8. Qc2 Sarin plays 8... Bf5, and before he hits the clock, Esipenko plays 9. Qc1, but since Nihal has not pressed the clock Esipenko can't (this is the full…
Wais Kamal
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Is it permitted to stare at a blank chessboard during a tournament game?

Long-winded Motivation I have recently noticed during my own tournament games that I am not infrequently closing my eyes, or at least looking away from the board, when engaged in in-depth calculation (or what counts as in-depth for me). This isn't…
ETD
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A player falls asleep during the game and his friend wakes him -- illegal?

I witnessed this: a player who burnt the candle at both ends fell asleep during the game and his friend woke him up. His opponent vehemently objected. How should this have been handled? I do not recall if his friend simply shook him awake or used…
releseabe
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Is it legal to move a piece if your opponent has not hit the clock?

I have played some rapid and blitz games in my city, it was not a tournament, but a friendly match, but there's something that bother me almost always that I've played: I move my piece and as my hand is still in the air moving towards the clock, and…
Kevin Hernández Arango
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What are the possible results of a game?

What is the range of possible results of a chess game? I am asking this question, because I am developing an XML schema for recording chess games; sort of like an XML version of PGN, and I need a way to classify and record the game result. The list…
Sean B. Durkin
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What is the "increment" in chess?

I saw this in many online games, but I do not understand how it works. With every move we can gain time, but what is it dependent on how much we get? Can please somebody explain the system behind it.
Superluminal
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If I touch a piece with my forearm by accident, can my opponent call touch-move?

If I touch a piece with my forearm by accident, can my opponent call touch-move? If the answer is "no", what if after my opponent calls touch-move, I believe him and move the touch piece before calling the arbiter - can I take it back?
Allure
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Touch-move when move is illegal but opponent's piece can be captured by another piece

This is the scenario: I pick up my Knight to capture my opponent's Bishop (touching the Bishop). I then realise my Knight was pinned to my King in the first place, so moving it would be illegal. However, I have already touched my opponent's Bishop…
Goriola Adio
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Touch move rule when the opponent is not present on the board

According to the rules, if a player touches a piece, he/she has to move that piece (if it's possible), and so on... Imagine this situation, the opponent is not present on the board (far away), you touch a piece and the opponent (or somebody else)…
masoud
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Position of pieces in square

Is there a rule on how accurately pieces have to be positioned within a square? Can they touch the border for instance?
user1583209
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No writing down moves in advance of making, or in advance of completing

Per FIDE rules, I must not write down moves "in advance". Does this mean: in advance of making, or in advance of completing? Today I have seen a strange ruling as a spectator. A young player made a move, wrote it down and pressed the clock. The…
Jirka Hanika
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Can I reply to an illegal move with checkmate?

I was playing with my brother, and we both had equal number of pieces. He carelessly moved his king in the direction of my queen. I was about to checkmate my brother, but he told that my mating move was invalid. If his king comes in my direction…
Ammu
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What is the idea behind the touch move rule?

Where did this rule originate? Why does it exist? I just recently learned about it, and in my casual coffeeshop chess games, it has never been mentioned or enforced.
PBeezy
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What rule is this?

In the following position, I am trying to play Rxd8, but it is not allowed. What is the rule that disallows Rxd8?p [FEN "1r1r1bk1/5p2/p3p1pp/1p2P3/B1p2P2/K2R4/P1P4P/3R4 w - - 0 1"]
Marius
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