How games are drawn

In a chess game,  a draw is one of the many possible outcomes of the game, the others being a win for white ( loss for black) and win for black (loss for white).  Normally in great tournaments, a draw is worth a half point to each player while a win is worth 1 point to the winner and 0 points to loser.  A draw occurs when there is a chance that none of the players can win the game.

Draws in chess can happen by various rules in chess which include stalmate (when the player to move has no legal move and is not in check),  threefold repetition (when the same position occurs three times), and fifty-move rule ( when the last fifty successive moves made by both the players contain no capture or pawn move).  A draw can also occur when neither of the players has sufficient material to checkmate the opponent. Unless the specific tournament rules forbid it, the players may together agree to a draw at any time.  Here are some of the conditions under which a draw can occur in a chess game.

• Stalmate :  If a player who is supposed to move his pieces has no legal move but is not in check,  this condition is called as stalmate and the chess game is automatically a draw.
• Three fold repetition :  If an identical position has occured three times with the same player's move, the player may claim a draw.  In such a situation, the draw is not automatic but the player has to claim if he wants a draw.  If the claim is not made on the move in which the repetition occurs, the player forfeits the right to make the claim. Of course, the opportunity may present itself again.
• The fifty move rule : If in the previous fifty moves by each side, no pawn has moved or no capture has been made, a draw may be claimed by any of the player. Here the player has to claim for the draw and i is not automatic.
• Impossibility of a check mate :  If a condition arises in which none of the players can checkmate the opponent by a series of legal moves, the game can be turned to a draw.  

Here are the links to other articles in this blog.

History of Chess
Introduction to Chess
Special Rules in Chess
Check and Check Mate
How Games are Drawn