Rules
What does fifty-move rule mean in chess?
- Rules
- Legality
- Result
The fifty-move rule allows a draw claim if fifty moves by each side pass without a pawn move or capture. It matters most in long endgames where one side is trying to prove progress.
Where the term comes from
The fifty-move rule has been repeatedly revised. Certain endgames were once granted exceptions of up to a hundred moves after computer analysis proved they were winnable but slow, before FIDE simplified the rule back to a flat fifty in 2001.
Fifty-move rule FAQ
What does fifty-move rule mean in chess?
The fifty-move rule allows a draw claim if fifty moves by each side pass without a pawn move or capture. It matters most in long endgames where one side is trying to prove progress.
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