FIDE Laws of Chess as of 1 July 1997

FIDE Laws of Chess

FIDE Laws of Chess cover over-the-board play. The English
text is the authentic version of the Laws of Chess which was
adopted at the 67th FIDE Congress at Yerevan
September-October 1996, coming into force on 1 July 1997. 
In these Laws the words 'he', 'him' and 'his' include 'she'
and 'her'.

PREFACE
 
The Laws of Chess cannot cover all possible situations that
may arise during a game, nor can they regulate all
administrative questions. Where cases are not precisely
regulated by an Article of the Laws, it should be possible to
reach a correct decision by studying analogous situations
which are discussed in the Laws. The Laws assume that
arbiters have the necessary competence, sound judgement and
absolute objectivity. Too detailed a rule might deprive the
arbiter of his freedom of judgement and thus prevent him from
finding the solution to a problem dictated by fairness, logic
and special factors.

FIDE appeals to all chess players and federations to accept
this view.

A member federation is free to introduce more detailed rules
provided they:

(a) do not conflict in any way with the official FIDE Laws of
Chess
(b) are limited to the territory of the federation in
question; and
(c) are not valid for any FIDE match, championship or
qualifying event, or for a FIDE title or rating tournament.

RULES OF PLAY

Article 1: The nature and objectives of the game of chess

1.1. The game of chess is played between two opponents who
move pieces alternately on a square board called a
'chessboard'. The player with the white pieces commences the
game. A player is said to 'have the move', when his
opponent's move has been completed.

1.2. The objective of each player is to place the opponent's
king 'under attack' in such a way that the opponent has no
legal move which would avoid the 'capture' of the king on the
following move. The player who achieves this is said to have
'checkmated' the opponent and to have won the game. The
opponent who has been checkmated has lost the game.

1.3. If the position is such that neither player can possibly
checkmate, the game is drawn.

Article 2: The initial position of the pieces on the
chessboard

2.1. The chessboard is composed of an 8x8 grid of 64 equal
squares alternately light (the 'white' squares) and dark (the
'black' squares).
The chessboard is placed between the players in such a way
that the near corner square to the right of the player is
white. 

2.2. At the beginning of the game one player has 16
light-coloured pieces (the 'white' pieces); the other has 16
dark-coloured pieces (the 'black' pieces):
These pieces are as follows:
A white king, usually indicated by the symbol K or 
A white queen, usually indicated by the symbol Q or 
Two white rooks, usually indicated by the symbol R or 
Two white bishops, usually indicated by the symbol B or 
Two white knights, usually indicated by the symbol N or 
Eight white pawns, usually indicated by the symbol P or 
A black king, usually indicated by the symbol k or 
A black queen, usually indicated by the symbol q or 
Two black rooks, usually indicated by the symbol r or 
Two black bishops, usually indicated by the symbol b or 
Two black knights, usually indicated by the symbol n or 
Eight black pawns, usually indicated by the symbol p or 


2.3. The initial position of the pieces on the chessboard is
as follows:

2.4. The eight vertical columns of squares are called
'files'. The eight horizontal rows of squares are called
'ranks'. A straight line of squares of the same colour,
touching corner to corner, is called a 'diagonal'.

Article 3: The moves of the pieces

3.1. No piece can be moved to a square occupied by a piece of
the same colour. If a piece moves to a square occupied by an
opponent's piece the latter is captured and removed from the
chessboard as part of the same move. A piece is said to
attack a square if the piece could make a capture on that
square according to Articles 3.2 to 3.5..

3.2.
(a) The queen moves to any square along the file, the rank or
a diagonal on which it stands.

(b) The rook moves to any square along the file or the rank
on which it stands.

(c) The bishop moves to any square along a diagonal on which
it stands.

When making these moves the queen, rook or bishop cannot move
over any intervening pieces.

3.3. The knight moves to one of the squares nearest to that
on which it stands but not on the same rank, file or
diagonal. It does not pass directly over any intervening
square.

3.4.
(a) The pawn moves forward to the unoccupied square
immediately in front of it on the same file, or

(b) on its first move the pawn may advance two squares along
the same file provided both squares are unoccupied, or

(c) the pawn moves to a square occupied by an opponent's
piece which is diagonally in front of it on an adjacent file,
capturing that piece.

(d) A pawn attacking a square crossed by an opponent's pawn
which has advanced two squares in one move from its original
square may capture this opponent's pawn as though the latter
had been moved only one square. This capture can be made only
on the move following this advance and is called an 'en
passant' capture.


(e) When a pawn reaches the rank furthest from its starting
position it must be exchanged as part of the same move for a
queen, rook, bishop or knight of the same colour. The
player's choice is not restricted to pieces that have been
captured previously. This exchange of a pawn for another
piece is called 'promotion' and the effect of the new piece
is immediate.

3.5.
(a)The king can move in two different ways, by:
(i) moving to any adjoining square that is not attacked by
one or more of the opponent's pieces,
or
(ii) 'castling'. This is a move of the king and either rook
of the same colour on the same rank, counting as a single
move of the king and executed as follows: the king is
transferred from its original square two squares towards the
rook, then that rook is transferred over the king to the
square the king has just crossed.


(1) Castling is illegal:
[a] if the king has already been moved, or
[b] with a rook that has already been moved

(2) Castling is prevented for the time being:

[a] if the square on which the king stands, or the square
which it must cross, or the square which it is to occupy, is
attacked by one or more of the opponent's pieces.
[b] if there is any piece between the king and the rook with
which castling is to be effected.

(b) The king is said to be 'in check', if it is under attack
by one or more of the opponent's pieces, even if such pieces
cannot themselves move. 
Declaring a check is not obligatory. 
A player must not make a move which places or leaves his own
king in check. 

Article 4: The act of moving the pieces

4.1. Each move must be made with one hand only.

4.2. Provided that he first expresses his intention (e.g. by
saying "j'adoube"), the player having the move may adjust one
or more pieces on their squares.
4.3. Except as provided in Article 4.2, if the player having
the move deliberately touches on the chessboard
(a) one or more pieces of the same colour, he must move or
capture the first piece touched that can be moved or
captured, or
(b) one piece of each colour, he must capture the opponent's
piece with his piece or, if this is illegal, move or capture
the first piece touched which can be moved or captured. If it
is unclear the player's own piece shall be considered to have
been touched before his opponent's.

4.4.

(a) If a player deliberately touches his king and a rook he
must castle on that side if it is legal.

(b) If a player deliberately touches a rook and then his king
he is not allowed to castle on that side on that move and the
situation shall be governed by Article 4.3.

(c) If a player, intending to castle touches the king or
king and a rook at the same time, but castling on that side
is illegal, the player must choose either to castle on the
other side, provided that castling on that side is legal, or
to move his king. If the king has no legal move, the player
is free to make any legal move.

4.5. If none of the pieces touched can be moved or captured,
the player may make any legal move.

4.6. If the opponent violates Article 4.3 or 4.4 the player
cannot claim this after he himself deliberately touches a
piece.

4.7. When, as a legal move or part of a legal move, a piece
has been released on a square, it cannot then be moved to
another square. The move is considered to be made when all
the relevant requirements of Article 3 have been fulfilled.

Article 5: The completed game

5.1.

(a) The game is won by the player who has checkmated his
opponent's king with a legal move. This immediately ends the
game.

(b) The game is won by the player whose opponent declares he
resigns. This immediately ends the game.

5.2. The game is drawn when the player to move has no legal
move and his king is not in check. The game is said to end in
'stalemate'. This immediately ends the game.
 
5.3. The game is drawn upon agreement between the two players
during the game. This immediately ends the game. (See Article
9.1)

5.4. The game may be drawn if the identical position is about
to appear or has appeared on the chessboard three times. (See
Article 9.2)

5.5. The game may be drawn if the last 50 consecutive moves
have been made by each player without the movement of any
pawn and without the capture of any piece. (See Article 9.3)

TOURNAMENT RULES

Article 6: The chess clock 

6.1. 'Chess clock' means a clock with two time displays,
connected to each other in such a way that only one of them
can run at one time. 
'Clock' in the Laws of Chess means one of the two time
displays.
'Flag fall' means the expiry of the allotted time for a
player.

6.2. When using a chess clock, each player must make a
certain number or all moves in an allotted period of time; or
may be allocated an additional amount of time after each
move. All this must be specified in advance. The time saved
by a player during one period is added to his time available
for the next period, except in the 'time delay' mode.
In the time delay mode both players receive an allotted 'main
thinking time'. They also receive a 'fixed extra time' for
every move. The count down of the main time only commences
after the fixed time has expired. Provided the player stops
his clock before the expiry of the fixed time, the main
thinking time does not change, irrespective of the proportion
of the fixed time used.

6.3. Each time display has a 'flag'. Immediately after a flag
falls, the requirements of Article 8.1 must be checked.

6.4. The arbiter decides where the chess clock is placed. 

6.5. At the time determined for the start of the game the
clock of the player who has the white pieces is started. 

6.6. The player shall lose the game if he arrives at the
chessboard more than one hour after the scheduled start of
the session (unless the rules of the competition specify or
the arbiter decides otherwise).

6.7. 

(a) During the game each player, having made his move on the
chessboard, shall stop his own clock and start his opponent's
clock. A player must always be allowed to stop his clock. His
move is not considered to have been completed until he has
done so, unless the made move ends the game. (See Articles
5.1, 5.2 and 5.3)

The time between making the move on the chessboard and
stopping his own clock and starting his opponent's clock is
regarded as part of the time allotted to the player. 

(b) A player must stop his clock with the same hand as that
with which he made his move. It is forbidden to keep the
finger on the button or to 'hover' over it.

(c) The players must handle the chess clock properly. It is
forbidden to punch it forcibly, to pick it up or to knock it
over. Improper clock handling shall be penalised in
accordance with Article 13.4.

6.8. A flag is considered to have fallen when the arbiter
observes the fact or when a valid claim to that effect has
been made by either player.

6.9. Except where Articles 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 apply, if a
player does not complete the prescribed number of moves in
the allotted time, the game is lost by the player. However,
the game is drawn, if the position is such that the opponent
cannot checkmate the player by any possible series of legal
moves ( i.e. by the most unskilled counterplay).

6.10. Every indication given by the clocks is considered to
be conclusive in the absence of any evident defect. A chess
clock with an evident defect shall be replaced. The arbiter
shall use his best judgement when determining the times to be
shown on the replacement chess clock.

6.11. If both flags have fallen and it is impossible to
establish which flag fell first, the game shall continue.

6.12.

(a) If the game needs to be interrupted, the arbiter shall
stop the clocks.

(b) A player may stop the clocks in order to seek the
arbiter's assistance.

(c) The arbiter shall decide when the game is to be
restarted.

6.13. If an irregularity occurs and/or the pieces have to be
restored to a previous position, the arbiter shall use his
best judgement to determine the times to be shown on the
clocks.

6.14. Screens, monitors, or demonstration boards showing the
current position on the chessboard, the moves and the number
of moves made, and clocks which also show the number of
moves, are allowed in the playing hall. However, the player
may not make a claim based on anything shown in this manner.

Article 7: Illegal positions

7.1. 

(a) If during a game it is found that the initial position of
the pieces was incorrect, the game shall be cancelled and a
new game played.

(b) If during a game it is found that the only error is that
the chessboard has been placed contrary to Article 2.1, the
game continues but the position reached must be transferred
to a correctly placed chessboard.

7.2. If a game has begun with colours reversed then it shall
continue, unless the arbiter rules otherwise. 

7.3. If a player displaces one or more pieces, he shall
re-establish the correct position on his own time. If
necessary the opponent has the right to restart the player's
clock without making a move in order to make sure the player
re-establishes the correct position on his own time.

7.4. If during a game it is found that an illegal move has
been made, or that pieces have been displaced from their
squares, the position before the irregularity shall be
re-instated. If the position immediately before the
irregularity cannot be identified the game shall continue
from the last identifiable position prior to the
irregularity. The clocks shall be adjusted according to
Article 6.13 and, in the case of an illegal move, Article 4.3
applies to the move replacing the illegal move. The game
shall then continue.

Article 8: The recording of the moves

8.1. In the course of play each player is required to record
his own moves and those of his opponent, move after move, as
clearly and legibly as possible, in the algebraic notation
(Appendix E), on the scoresheet prescribed for the
competition.

A player may reply to his opponent's move before recording
it, if he so wishes. He must record his previous move before
making another. The offer of a draw must be recorded on the
scoresheet by both players.(Appendix E.12)
If a player due to physical or religious reasons, is unable
to keep score, an amount of time, decided by the arbiter,
shall be deducted from his allotted time at the beginning of
the game.

8.2. The scoresheet shall be visible to the arbiter at all
times.

8.3. The scoresheets are the property of the organisers of
the event.

8.4. If a player has less than five minutes left on his clock
and does not have additional time of 30 seconds or more added
with each move, then he is not obliged to meet the
requirements of Article 8.1. Immediately after one flag has
fallen the player must update his scoresheet completely.

8.5.

(a) If neither player is required to keep score under Article
8.4, the arbiter or an assistant should try to be present and
keep score. In this case, immediately after one flag has
fallen, the arbiter shall stop the clocks. Then both players
shall update their scoresheets, using the arbiter's or the
opponent's scoresheet. 

(b) If only one player is not required to keep score under
Article 8.4, he must update his scoresheet completely as soon
as a flag has fallen. Provided it is the player's move, he
may use his opponent's scoresheet. The player is not
permitted to move until after he has completed his own
scoresheet and returned his opponent's.

(c) If no complete scoresheet is available, the players must
reconstruct the game on a second chessboard under the control
of the arbiter or an assistant, who shall first record the
actual game position before reconstruction takes place.

8.6. If the scoresheets cannot be brought up to date showing
that a player has overstepped the allotted time, the next
move made shall be considered as the first of the following
time period, unless there is evidence that more moves have
been made.

Article 9: The drawn game

9.1. A player can propose a draw after making a move on the
chessboard. He must do so before stopping his own clock and
starting his opponent's clock. An offer at any other time
during play is still valid, but Article 12.5 must be
considered. No conditions can be attached to the offer. In
both cases the offer cannot be withdrawn and remains valid
until the opponent accepts it, rejects it orally, rejects it
by making a move, or the game is concluded in some other way.

The offer of a draw shall be noted by each player on his
scoresheet with the symbol (=).

9.2. The game is drawn, upon a correct claim by the player
having the move, when the same position, for at least the
third time (not necessarily by repetition of moves)

(a) is about to appear, if he first writes his move on his
scoresheet and declares to the arbiter his intention to make
this move, or

(b) has just appeared.

Positions as in (a) and (b) are considered the same, if the
same player has the move, pieces of the same kind and colour
occupy the same squares, and the possible moves of all the
pieces of both players are the same. 
Positions are not the same if a pawn could have been captured
en passant or if the right to castle immediately or in the
future has been changed.

9.3. The game is drawn, upon a correct claim by the player
having the move, if

(a) he writes on his scoresheet, and declares to the arbiter
his intention to make a move which shall result in the last
50 moves having been made by each player without the movement
of any pawn and without the capture of any piece, or

(b) the last 50 consecutive moves have been made by each
player without the movement of any pawn and without the
capture of any piece. 

9.4. If the player makes a move without having claimed the
draw he loses the right to claim, as in Article 9.2 or 9.3,
on that move .

9.5. If a player claims a draw as in Article 9.2 or 9.3 he
shall immediately stop both clocks. He is not allowed to
withdraw his claim.

(a) If the claim is found to be correct the game is
immediately drawn.

(b) If the claim is found to be incorrect, the arbiter shall
deduct half of the claimant's remaining time up to a maximum
of three minutes and add three minutes to the opponent's
remaining time. Then the game shall continue and the intended
move must be made. 

9.6. The game is drawn when a position is reached from which
a checkmate cannot occur by any possible series of legal
moves, even with the most unskilled play. This immediately
ends the game.

Article 10: Quickplay Finish

10.1. A 'quickplay finish' is the last phase of a game, when
all the remaining moves must be made in a limited time.

10.2. If the player has less than two minutes left on his
clock, he may claim a draw before his flag falls. He shall
stop the clocks and summon the arbiter.

(a) If the arbiter is satisfied the opponent is making no
effort to win the game by normal means, or that it is not
possible to win by normal means, then he shall declare the
game drawn. Otherwise he shall postpone his decision.

(b) If the arbiter postpones his decision, the opponent may
be awarded two extra minutes thinking time and the game shall
continue in the presence of the arbiter.

(c) Having postponed his decision, the arbiter may
subsequently declare the game drawn, even after a flag has
fallen.

10.3. Illegal moves do not necessarily lose. After the action
taken under Article 7.4, for a first illegal move by a player
the arbiter shall give two minutes extra time to his
opponent; for a second illegal move by the same player the
arbiter shall give another two minutes extra time to his
opponent; for a third illegal move by the same player, the
arbiter shall declare the game lost by the player who played
incorrectly.

10.4. If both flags have fallen and it is impossible to
establish which flag fell first the game is drawn.

Article 11: Scoring

11.1. A player who wins his game scores one point (1), a
player who loses his game scores no points (0) and a player
who draws his game scores a half point (<$E1/2>).

Article 12: The conduct of the players

12.1. High standards of etiquette are expected of the
players. 

12.2. During play the players are forbidden to make use of
any notes, sources of information, advice, or to analyse on
another chessboard.

The scoresheet shall be used only for recording the moves,
the times of the clocks, the offer of a draw, and matters
relating to a claim. 

12.3. No analysis is permitted in the playing room when play
is in progress, whether by players or spectators. Players who
have finished their games shall be considered to be
spectators.

12.4. The players are not allowed to leave the 'playing
venue' without permission from the arbiter. The playing venue
is defined as the playing area, rest rooms, refreshment area,
area set aside for smoking and other places as designated by
the arbiter.
The player having the move is not allowed to leave the
playing area without permission of the arbiter.

12.5. It is forbidden to distract or annoy the opponent in
any manner whatsoever; this includes the persistent offer of
a draw.

12.6. Infraction of any part of the Articles 12.2 to 12.5
shall lead to penalties in accordance with Article 13.4.

12.7. The game is lost by a player who persistently refuses
to comply with the Laws of Chess. The opponent's score shall
be decided by the arbiter.

12.8. If both players are found guilty according to Article
12.7, the game shall be declared lost by both players.

Article 13: The role of the arbiter (see Preface)

13.1. The arbiter shall see that the Laws of Chess are
strictly observed.

13.2. The arbiter shall act in the best interest of the
competition. He should ensure that a good playing environment
is maintained and that the players are not disturbed. He
shall supervise the progress of the competition.

13.3. The arbiter shall observe the games, especially when
the players are short of time, enforce decisions he has made
and impose penalties on players where appropriate.

13.4. Penalties open to the arbiter include:
(a) a warning, 
(b) increasing the remaining time of the opponent, 
(c) reducing the remaining time of the offending player, 
(d) declaring the game to be lost,
(e) expulsion from the event.

13.5. The arbiter may award either or both players additional
time in the event of external disturbance of the game.

13.6. The arbiter must not intervene in a game to indicate
the number of moves made, except in applying Article 8.5,
when at least one player has used all his time. The arbiter
shall refrain from informing a player that his opponent has
made a move, or that he has failed to press his clock.

13.7. Spectators and players in other games are not to speak
about or otherwise interfere in a game. If necessary, the
arbiter may expel offenders from the playing room.

Article 14: FIDE

14.1. Member federations may ask FIDE to give an official
decision about problems relating to the Laws of Chess.

APPENDIX

A. Adjourned games

A1.
(a) If a game is not finished at the end of the time
prescribed for play, the arbiter shall require the player
having the move to 'seal' that move. The player must write
his move in unambiguous notation on his scoresheet, put his
scoresheet and that of his opponent in an envelope, seal the
envelope and only then stop his clock without starting the
opponent's clock. Until he has stopped the clocks, the player
retains the right to change his sealed move. If, after being
told by the arbiter to seal his move, the player makes a move
on the chessboard, he must write that same move on his
scoresheet as his sealed move.

(b) A player having the move, who adjourns the game before
the end of the playing session, shall be considered to have
sealed at the nominal time for the end of the session.

A2. The following shall be indicated upon the envelope:
(a) the names of the players
(b) the position immediately before the sealed move
(c) the time used by each player
(d) the name of the player who has sealed the move
(e) the number of the sealed move
(f) the offer of a draw, if the proposal was made before the
adjournment of the game 
(g) the date, time and venue of resumption of play.

A3. The arbiter shall check the accuracy of the information
on the envelope and is responsible for the safe-keeping of
it.

A4. If a player proposes a draw after his opponent has sealed
his move, the offer is valid until the opponent has accepted
it or rejected it as in Article 9.1.

A5. Before the game is to be resumed, the position
immediately before the sealed move shall be set up on the
chessboard, and the times used by each player when the game
was adjourned shall be indicated on the clocks.

A6. If prior to the resumption the game is agreed drawn, or
if one of the players notifies the arbiter that he resigns,
the game is concluded.

A7. The envelope shall be opened only when the player who
must reply to the sealed move is present. 

A8. Except in the cases mentioned in Article 6.9 and 9.6, the
game is lost by a player whose recording of his sealed move
(a) is ambiguous, or
(b) is false, in such a way that its true significance is
impossible to establish, or
(c) is illegal.

A9. If, at the agreed resumption time
(a) the player having to reply to the sealed move is present,
the envelope is opened, the sealed move made on the
chessboard and his clock started.
(b) the player having to reply to the sealed move is not
present, his clock shall be started. On his arrival, he may
stop his clock and summon the arbiter. The envelope is then
opened and the sealed move made on the chessboard. His clock
is then restarted.
(c) the player who sealed the move is not present, his
opponent has the right to record his reply on the scoresheet,
seal his scoresheet in a fresh envelope, stop his clock and
start his opponent's clock instead of making his reply in the
normal manner. If so, the envelope shall be handed to the
arbiter for safe-keeping and opened on the opponent's
arrival.

A10. The game is lost by the player who arrives more than one
hour late for the resumption of an adjourned game. However,
if the player who made the sealed move is the late player,
the game is decided otherwise, if:

(a) the absent player has won the game by virtue of the fact
that the sealed move is checkmate, or

(b) the absent player has produced a drawn game by virtue of
the fact that the sealed move is stalemate, or a position as
described in Article 9.6 has arisen on the chessboard, or 

(c) the player present at the chessboard has lost the game
according to Article 6.9. 

A11.

(a) If the envelope containing the sealed move is missing,
the game shall continue from the adjourned position, with the
clock times recorded at the time of adjournment. If the time
used by each player cannot be re-established the clocks shall
be set by the arbiter. The player who sealed the move makes
the move he states he sealed on the chessboard.

(b) If it is impossible to re-establish the position, the
game is annulled and a new game must be played.

A12. If, upon resumption of the game, either player points
out before making his first move, that the time used has been
incorrectly indicated on either clock, the error must be
corrected. If the error is not then established the game
continues without correction unless the arbiter feels that
the consequences will be too severe.

A13. The duration of each resumption session shall be
controlled by the arbiter's time piece. The starting time and
finishing time shall be announced in advance.

B. Rapidplay 
B1. A 'rapidplay game' is one where all the moves must be
made in a fixed time between 15 to 60 minutes.

B2. Play shall be governed by the FIDE Laws of Chess, except
where they are overridden by the following Laws.

B3. Players do not need to record the moves.

B4. Once each player has made three moves, no claim can be
made regarding incorrect piece placement, orientation of the
chessboard or clock setting.

B5. The arbiter shall make a ruling according to Articles 4
and 10, only if requested to do so by one or both players. 

B6. The flag is considered to have fallen when a valid claim
to that effect has been made by a player. The arbiter shall
refrain from signalling a flag fall.

B7. To claim a win on time, the claimant must stop both
clocks and notify the arbiter. For the claim to be
successful, the claimant's flag must remain up and his
opponent's flag down after the clocks have been stopped.

B8. If both flags have fallen, the game is drawn.

C. Blitz

C1. A 'blitz game' is one where all the moves must be made in
a fixed time less than 15 minutes.

C2. Play shall be governed by the Rapidplay Laws as in
Appendix B except where they are overridden by the following
Laws.

C3. An illegal move is completed once the opponent's clock
has been started. The opponent is then entitled to claim a
win before making his own move. Once the opponent has made
his own move, an illegal move cannot be corrected.

C4. In order to win, a player must have 'mating potential'.
This is defined as adequate forces eventually to produce a
position legally, possibly by 'helpmate', where an opponent
having the move cannot avoid being checkmated in one move.
Thus two knights and a king against a lone king is
insufficient, but a rook and king against a knight and king
is sufficient.

C5. Article 10.2 does not apply.

D. Quickplay finishes where no arbiter is present in the
venue.

D1. Where games are played as in Article 10, a player may
claim a draw when he has less than two minutes left on his
clock and before his flag falls. This concludes the game.
He may claim on the basis

(a) that his opponent cannot win by normal means, or 

(b) that his opponent has been making no effort to win by
normal means.

In (a) the player must write down the final position and his
opponent verify it.

In (b) the player must write down the final position and
submit an up-to-date scoresheet which must be completed
before play has ceased. The opponent shall verify both the
scoresheet and the final position.

The claim shall be referred to an arbiter whose decision
shall be final.


E. Algebraic notation

FIDE recognizes for its own tournaments and matches only one
system of notation, the Algebraic System, and recommends the
use of this uniform chess notation also for chess literature
and periodicals. Scoresheets using a notation system other
than algebraic may not be used as evidence in cases where
normally the scoresheet of a player is used for that purpose.
An arbiter who observes that a player is using a notation
system other than the algebraic should warn the player in
question of this requirement.

Description of the Algebraic System

E1. Each piece is indicated by the first letter, a capital
letter, of its name. Example: K = king, Q = queen, R = rook,
B = bishop, N = knight. (In the case of the knight, for the
sake of convenience, N is used.)

E2. For the first letter of the name of a piece, each player
is free to use the first letter of the name which is commonly
used in his country. Examples: F = fou (French for bishop), L
= loper (Dutch for bishop). In printed periodicals, the use
of figurines for the pieces is recommended.

E3. Pawns are not indicated by their first letter, but are
recognized by the absence of such a letter. Examples: e5, d4,
a5.

E4. The eight files (from left to right for White and from
right to left for Black) are indicated by the small letters,
a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h, respectively.

E5. The eight ranks (from bottom to top for White and from
top to bottom for Black) are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and
8, respectively. Consequently, in the initial position the
white pieces and pawns are placed on the first and second
ranks; the black pieces and pawns on the eighth and seventh
ranks.

E6. As a consequence of the previous rules, each of the sixty
four squares is invariably indicated by a unique combination
of a letter and a number.

E7. Each move of a piece is indicated by (a) the first letter
of the name of the piece in question and (b) the square of
arrival. There is no hyphen between (a) and (b). Examples:
Be5, Nf3, Rd1.
In the case of pawns, only the square of arrival is
indicated. Examples: e5, d4, a5.

E8. When a piece makes a capture, an x is inserted between

(a) the first letter of the name of the piece in question and

(b) the square of arrival. Examples: Bxe5, Nxf3, Rxd1.
When a pawn makes a capture, not only the square of arrival
but also the file of departure must be indicated, followed by
an x. Examples: dxe5, gxf3, axb5. In the case of an "en
passant" capture, the square of arrival is given as the
square on which the capturing pawn finally rests and "e.p."
is appended to the notation.

E9. If two identical pieces can move to the same square, the
piece that is moved is indicated as follows:

(1) If both pieces are on the same rank: by (a) the first
letter of the name of the piece, (b) the rank of the square
of departure, and (c) the square of arrival.

(2) If both pieces are on the same file: by (a) the first
letter of the name of the piece, (b) the rank of the square
of departure, and (c) the square of arrival.

(3) If the pieces are on different ranks and files, method
(1) is preferred. In the case of capture, an x must be
inserted between (b) and (c).

Examples:
(1) There are two knights, on the squares g1 and d2, and one
of them moves to the square f3: either Ngf3 or Ndf3, as the
case may be.
(2) There are two knights, on the squares g5 and g1, and one
of them moves to the square f3: either N5f3 or N1f3, as the
case may be.
(3) There are two knights, on the squares h2 and d4, and one
of them moves to the square f3: either Nhf3 or Ndf3, as the
case may be.

If a capture takes place on the square f3, the previous
examples are changed by the insertion of an x: (1) either
Ngxf3 or Ndxf3, (2) either N5xf3 or N1xf3, (3) either Nhxf3
or Ndxf3, as the case may be.
E10. If two pawns can capture the same piece or pawn of the
opponent, the pawn that is moved is indicated by (a) the
letter of the file of departure, (b) an x, (c) the square of
arrival. Example: If there are white pawns on squares c4 and
e4 and a black pawn or piece on the square d5, the notation
for White's move is either cxd5 or exd5, as the case may be.

E11. In the case of the promotion of a pawn, the actual pawn
move is indicated, followed immediately by the first letter
of the new piece. Examples: d8Q, f8N, b1B, g1R.

Essential Abbreviations:
0-0-castling with rook h1 or rook h8 
(kingside castling)
0-0-0-castling with rook a1 or rook a8
(queenside castling)
x-captures
+-check
++-checkmate
e.p.-captures "en passant"

Sample game: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd2 0-0 5.e4 d5
6.exd5 exd5 7.cxd5 Bxc3 8.Bxc3 Nxd5 9.Nf3 b6 10.Qb3 Nxc3
11.bxc3 c5 12.Be2 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Re8 14.0-0 Nd7 15.a4 Nc5
16.Qb4 Bb7 17.a5 ... etc.

E12. The offer of a draw shall be marked as (=).