Can someone please explain the 3 fold repetition rule to me?  In the following game I thought I had this and hit draw but it was not accepted. I was playing black:

29.bxc3 Ke6
30.Ba3 Kf5
31.c5 Kg4
32.Kg2 Kf5
33.c6 Kg4
34.c7 Kf5 

From what I understand my King having been in position f5 3 times meets the rule?  All help appreciated.

Many thanks

Alyn

because the pawns changed positions in 31. c5 .. 33.c6 and 34.c7

Would it just be the pawns, or any other piece that moved as well?

It's not a repetition of position unless it is an EXACT repetition, including the same side to move and all the same moves being possible for both sides (if castling is eliminated in the repetition, for example, the count starts anew).

If the position is different in any way, it can't be a "repetition."  This isn't rocket science.

also, it doesn't have to be on consecutive moves, it could happen on moves 38, 46, and 47

No one is claiming that it is rocket science. It's a simple question.

alynstampcollector, for help that isn't also rude, see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_repetition

Thanks mjconns.  Our boys in blue aren't doing so well.

yeah, haha. not what I hoped for. but I guess there's always room for improvement.

The way the premeirship is, they need to get a huge amount of cash to improve to the level needed, but once a toffee always a toffee. 

I am still a little confused about the rule though, and for fear of moving this to the ranks of astrophysics and rocket science I looked at one of the games mentioned in the wikipedia article and the positions of all the pieces are not the same on the draw on 3 fold repetition.  http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1106921 

I recall an OTB game years ago where I made a move which repeated a position for the third time, and claimed the draw.  The TD said no, that I had to claim the draw and state I was going to make that move prior to actually executing it.  I see that current FIDE rule 9.2b would let me claim the draw as I attempted.

The 3 repetitions don't have to occur on consecutive moves.

In this game it's white's moves 30, 32, and 34 (all with black to move, which is important )

check out my last game with Palucki1107... He created a stale mate which created a draw.  This might help you.

The position must repeat three times.

Hi Alyn,

As others have stated, the entire position must occur three times before a draw may be claimed.  Also as others have stated, the position doesn't have to be occur consecutively.  The 3rd repetition can occur at any point in the game.

Think about it... If just one player is able to move a piece back and forth, as you did in your original post, then chess wouldn't be a game.  Anyone could simply move back and forth and claim a draw any time they wanted to.  You could easily draw against a grandmaster if this were the rule.

This past weekend I played in the Lina Grumette Memorial Day Classic, in Ontario, California.  In my last round game, against Steven Morford, President of the Southern California Chess Federation, it just so happened I claimed a draw by repetition.  Before I made my move, I claimed the draw.  Steven didn't dispute that I was wrong, but he wanted the TD to verify the claim, which stood up.

[Event "2012 Lina Grumette Memorial Day Classic"]
[Site "Ontario, CA"]
[Date "2012.05.28"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Collins, Edward Dennis"]
[Black "Morford, Steven N"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1852"]
[BlackElo "1828"]

1. f4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. Nf3 g6 4. b3 Bg7 5. Bb2 O-O 6. Be2 c5 7. O-O Nc6 8.
Ne5 d4 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Bf3 Nd5 11. c4 dxc3 12. Nxc3 Ba6 13. Be2 Bxe2 14. Qxe2 Nxc3 15. Bxc3 Bxc3 16. dxc3 Qa5 17. Qc4 Rad8 18. f5 Rd2 19. fxg6 hxg6 20. Rxf7 Rxf7 21. Rf1 Rd5 22. Rxf7 Kxf7 23. e4 e6 24. exd5 cxd5 25. Qf4+ Ke7 26. Qg5+ Kd7 27. Qd2 Qb6 28. c4 d4 29. Qf2 Qa5 30. h4 Ke7 31. g4 Qc3 32. h5 gxh5 33. gxh5 Qc1+ 34. Kh2 Qg5 35. Qf3 Qh4+ 36. Kg2 Qg5+ 37. Kh2 Qh4+ 38. Kg2 Qg5+ 39. Kh2 Qh4+ 40. Kg2 1/2-1/2

Thanks everyone, I understand the rule now.