Saying check is optional. If your opponent puts you in check and you don't notice, but make an illegal move the touch move rule applies. You must make a legal move with the piece you touched if possible. Otherwise you may make any move. If your opponent makes an illegal move and hits the clock, immediately stop the clock and, if necessary, notify the TD. To capture a piece I generally remove the piece then move capturing piece to that square. If you wish to claim draw by repetition say it to your opponent, then move, then hit clock. If he disputes then stop clock and summon TD. To offer a draw first say "I offer draw", then move, then hit clock. The offer cannot be retracted until opponent moves. If your opponent offers draw during your turn he violated correct procedure, but you may accept the offer. Upon delivering mate my custom is to say nothing and wait for opponent to offer hand, or say well played or something. If your time is short you should hit clock after giving mate. When resigning I generally tip my king and then offer hand. You should not offer hand without saying something, cause your opponent may be unsure if you are resigning or offering draw. If you offer a draw and opponent declines, you should not offer again unless he has subsequently offered and been declined by you. I'm happy to say that at my club almost all are sporting and honorable and disputes are rare.
Questions about OTB Etiquette
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Hello,
One day, either in the far future or distant future, I envision myself playing OTB tournaments. The only problem is, I have a lot of questions about them. Some of this is legitimate "I don't want to do the wrong thing when the time comes" and other is just curiosity about how OTB works.
First of all, what happens when I put my opponent in check? Do I say "check"? Or is that a casual chess thing? If my opponent puts me in check should I expect him to say "check'?
Let's say my opponent put me into discover check and I didn't realize it, and then I move a piece that is illegal because it doesn't deal with the check. What happens when I make an illegal move, especially in a blitz game? Does the arbirator say something? What if my opponent makes an illegal move? Do I do nothing and wait for the arbitrator to say something?
What happens if I want to capture one of my opponents pieces? Do I take his piece off the board and then put my piece there? It seems wrong to just grab his piece (after all it's his piece) so what's the best etiquette for capturing, especially in a blitz game where the way capturing is done can gain or lose you time.
Speaking of that, are blitz games one handed? I notice that people usally don't have one hand hovering over the clock and the other hand moving pieces. Is this because you have to use one hand to move the piece and then the same hand to press down the clock?
Okay, this is about half of my questions.
How do I claim a 3 move repetition draw in an OTB game? Do I just offer my opponent a draw and he will be forced to accept, or do I say something to the arbitrator?
How do I offer a draw by agreement, is it just verbal? And no I don't mean a Bobby Fischer sympathy draw, I mean a "I don't believe either of us can make progress in this position" draw offer.
What if my opponent makes a move and I am stalemate because I have no legal moves. Do I patiently wait for the arbitrary to declare the game a draw? What about if I am the one who gave stalemate?
What do I do when I give checkmate? Do I wait for the arbitrator to declare the game over? What if he is not near the table, do my opponent and I flag him down or something?
What if I get checkmated, should I shake my opponents hand or wait for something?
...and speaking of that, what is the proper way to resign an OTB game? Should I shake my opponent's hand saying "I resign", or just leave the table or... what?
So you may have been expecting a handful of questions, but I have a lot of questions about how this works, and probably a few more once I think of them. Answers are appreciated, thanks!