Dirty OTB Tricks I

 Dear Reb,

  Let me ask you this...

 When you returned to the board and saw that he had played an inferior move,was his clock still running? If it was,his offer was completely proper.

 However,if he played his move,started your clock,and only then went to offer you a draw,his offer was improper. Indeed,such an offer should be interpreted as an effort on his part to impede your timely return to the board.

 He made his move and then started my clock. When I came back to the board my clock was running so his draw offer was not correct actually. I think he probably only realized his move was bad after making it and then the idea of offering me a draw away from the board occured to him as his only chance. Yes, on my part the proper thing to have done would be to go back to the board to see his move first. It was the only time I had even faced such a situation in 36 years of tournament chess.

i thought u r suposed to move stop youre clock then ofer your hand for draw if you dicide not then you simply move

The one offering the draw is supposed to make his move, offer draw, then stop his clock, which starts the opponents clock. I think its also allowed for him to offer draw first, then move, then stop his clock, which starts the opponent's clock.

BorgQueen has the right idea.  Offering a draw has its disadvantages - the offer stays intact until your opponent declines it (by moving).

If he was so afraid of making a mistake over the board, could he have offered, "I'll accept a draw if you offer one before I move?"