Hello,

I have noticed that it is possible to offer a draw upon your turn without first making a move.

In every chess circle I have played from casual to tournament play, it is customary for a player to make his or her move, offer a draw, and then the opposing player can contemplate on their time.

I know, I know chess.com is a casual site, but am interested in what others think of this.

Isaac

I suspect that your opponent won't get notified of the draw offer until you submit your move.

we used to have it that way, but then people requested it be more flexible. i know it isn't technically correct for tournament play, but with asynchronous play, more flexibility is fine with me.

I noticed the change to the standard rules straight away, but never thought it presented much of a change in reality. If it bothers you, then simply request the opponent to make a move first. Having said that, I wouldn't mind if the rules regarding the offering of draws is brought into line with standard play. It's just not a big deal one way or the other.

I agree. Also, I would add that timing is important in offering or accepting an offer for a draw, but within a move the offer can be made a second time.  Standard play rules are best because they serve the widest number of online players.

I think this is one of those instances where it would have been helpful for the change to have been flagged up more publicly. Is there a mechanism on the site to announce similar modifications?

I personally hardly ever look at the homepage (so much for all the effort Erik et al put in to it!). A suitable approach in this case might have been a pop-up window when the OFFER DRAW button is used.

A "book draw" or a "theoretical draw" is a position that is known to result in a draw if both sides play optimally. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draw_(chess)

So if someone is hoping their opponent will blunder, they won't offer a draw. (See, for instance, http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/draw-adjudication)

King and bishop versus king and bishop with the bishops on the same color. (Any number of additional bishops of either color on the same color of square due to underpromotion do not affect the situation.)

They may not recognise the impossibility of winning. In a locked pawn position - even with opposite coloured bishops, it can take a while to become convinced there's no way through.

It is popularly considered that perpetual check – where one player gives a series of checks from which the other player cannot escape – is a draw, but in fact there is no longer a specific rule for this in the laws of chess, because any perpetual check situation will eventually be claimable as a draw under the threefold repetition rule or by the fifty-move rule, or (more likely) by agreement (Hooper & Whyld 1992).

The ending may be extremely tricky e.g. K v K+B+N (see http://www.chess.com/forum/view/endgames/kings-vs-king--bishop--kinght) but possible - and one of the players is an optimist!

Does this apply to blitz and quick chess as well?  :)  Sometimes being able to offer a draw while it is my turn in a drawn position is helpfull since my opponent moves so quickly, and I miss hitting the 'offer draw' button.  :)