How to claim threefold repetition?

Hi,

I'm still learning how to use chess.com and I am curious on how to claim a threefold repetition draw? In the beginner lessons it says that the game is automatically tied after the 5th repetition. however, in a game when when I try to claim a draw, it gives the opponent the opportunity to decline the draw... whats up with that?

Take this game for example (vs an alt):

After I (white) did Ra3 for the third time I hit the draw button. Instead of claiming the threefold repetition, it offered the draw to the opponent, which was declined. However, on the third instance that black made Ra7, chess.com automatically drawed the game.

I am confused for two reasons:

1. Why was the opponent able to decline this draw?

2. Why did the game automatically draw on the 3rd black repetition, when the beginner lesson states that it happens automatically on the 5th repetition?

Are you able to manually claim a threefold repetition on chess.com, or do you have to wait until it does it automatically?

I'm assuming I have just misunderstood something, and clarification would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Chess.com has changed its rules over the years. You used to have to manually hit the draw button to claim a draw after a 3x repetition of position. Then, they made it automatic after 5x for a while and then changed it to 3x. The lesson must have been produced when the rule was 5x.

It's not the moves which have to be repeated. It's the position.

When black moved 6..Ra6, it was a completely new position.  There was no 3x repetition to claim.

It became a three time repetition of position only when black moved his rook 7..Ra7 to the a7 square, making the position exactly the same as after his moves 3..Ra7 and 5..Ra7.

Thanks for that.

Didn't my rook repeat it's position 3 times? 2..Ra3 5..Ra3 7..Ra3

Why did that not trigger the draw?

Yes, but other pieces changed their positions. In particular, the black rook which went to a6.

All pieces have to be in exactly the same position at the same time.

And it has to be the same person's move.

And castling and en passant possibilities have to be the same. (A king moving off its home square can never castle, even if it returns to its home square.)

Hi,

I'm still learning how to use chess.com and I am curious on how to claim a threefold repetition draw? In the beginner lessons it says that the game is automatically tied after the 5th repetition. however, in a game when when I try to claim a draw, it gives the opponent the opportunity to decline the draw... whats up with that?

Take this game for example (vs an alt):

After I (white) did Ra3 for the third time I hit the draw button. Instead of claiming the threefold repetition, it offered the draw to the opponent, which was declined. However, on the third instance that black made Ra7, chess.com automatically drawed the game.

I am confused for two reasons:

1. Why was the opponent able to decline this draw?

2. Why did the game automatically draw on the 3rd black repetition, when the beginner lesson states that it happens automatically on the 5th repetition?

Are you able to manually claim a threefold repetition on chess.com, or do you have to wait until it does it automatically?

I'm assuming I have just misunderstood something, and clarification would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

3. Your not meant to have alt accounts

A few clarifications on post 4.  He says that castling and en passant possibilities must be the same.  It would be better to say that "Both sides have the same legal options", because castling rights has nothing to do with it.  You can lose your castling rights in the process and it may still be a 3-fold repetition.  Here's the rules about 3-fold repetition:

1) The entire position must be exactly the same 3 times (Not just White's pieces or Black's pieces)

2) The same player must be to move

3) Both players must have the same legal options (NOT the same long term rights).

So here's a few examples:

Note here in the second example that this could go on and on and on with twice being White's move, Twice being Black's move, then one side's Rook moves and another castling right goes away and you start all over again, so this could take about 80 or so moves, removing White's Kingside rights, Black's Queenside rights, and White's Queenside rights (Black's Kingside rights have been removed during those first 20 moves.)

A few clarifications on post 4.  He says that castling and en passant possibilities must be the same.  It would be better to say that "Both sides have the same legal options", because castling rights has nothing to do with it.  You can lose your castling rights in the process and it may still be a 3-fold repetition.  Here's the rules about 3-fold repetition:

1) The entire position must be exactly the same 3 times (Not just White's pieces or Black's pieces)

2) The same player must be to move

3) Both players must have the same legal options (NOT the same long term rights).

So here's a few examples:

Note here in the second example that this could go on and on and on with twice being White's move, Twice being Black's move, then one side's Rook moves and another castling right goes away and you start all over again, so this could take about 80 or so moves, removing White's Kingside rights, Black's Queenside rights, and White's Queenside rights (Black's Kingside rights have been removed during those first 20 moves.)