75-move rule - Chess glossary
75-move rule
Definition
The 75-move rule is a FIDE law that declares a game an automatic draw if 75 consecutive moves have been made by each side (that is, 75 full moves, or 150 half-moves) without any pawn move or any capture. If the final move in that sequence delivers checkmate, the checkmate takes precedence and the game is won, not drawn.
The count resets to zero immediately after any pawn move or any capture.
How it is used in chess
- Over-the-board: The arbiter is expected to stop the game and declare a draw as soon as the condition is met—neither player needs to claim it.
- Online play: Most platforms enforce it automatically in the game logic once the counter reaches 75 full moves without a pawn move or capture.
- Relationship to the 50-move rule: The 50-move rule is a claimable draw that either player may invoke when 50 consecutive moves by each side have passed without a pawn move or capture. The 75-move rule is a safety net: if nobody claims at 50, the game is stopped automatically at 75.
- Other automatic draws: Since the same revision of the FIDE Laws, a fivefold repetition is also an automatic draw (while threefold repetition remains claimable).
Strategic significance
- For the defender: Aim to reach a stable position where the opponent cannot create a capture or pawn move; then watch the count. You can usually claim a draw at 50 moves; if you miss it, the 75-move rule will end it anyway.
- For the attacker: Try to “reset the counter” by engineering a harmless pawn move or a strategically timed capture before the count reaches 50. Strong endgame technique often revolves around provoking such a reset without compromising winning chances.
- Tablebase perspective: Many theoretically winning endgames (especially with 6- or 7-man tablebases) require more than 50 moves without a pawn move or capture. In practical chess those wins are unattainable if the defender claims the 50-move rule; the 75-move rule ensures the game is stopped even if the 50-move claim is overlooked.
Examples
- Rook and bishop vs rook (R+B vs R): This famous ending is theoretically drawn but can run very long with no captures or pawn moves. If neither side claims a 50-move draw, the 75-move rule will automatically end the game when the counter reaches 75 full moves without a reset.
- Bishop and knight mate (B+N vs K): This is a forced mate within about 33 moves if played correctly. If both players shuffle and somehow avoid any pawn moves or captures for 75 full moves, the game is drawn automatically—unless the 75th move itself delivers checkmate, in which case the checkmate stands.
- Reset timing illustration: Suppose the last capture occurred on move 61...Kxg4. The next position (after 61...Kxg4) starts a fresh count. If from move 62 onward no pawn is moved and no capture occurs, then after Black completes move 136 (75 full moves later), the arbiter declares a draw—unless that move gives checkmate.
Historical notes
The 50-move rule dates back to early codifications of chess to prevent interminable endgames. For a time, special exceptions were occasionally considered for certain endgames that can require more than 50 moves, but these were removed to keep the rules simple and uniform. In modern FIDE Laws (notably refined in the 2018 edition), two “automatic” draw triggers were introduced: the 75-move rule and fivefold repetition. The intent was to relieve players and arbiters from policing long, claimable draws that had become routine with digital move tracking.
Interesting facts
- Checkmate exception: If the move that would otherwise complete the 75-move sequence gives checkmate, the result is a win, not a draw.
- Hundreds-of-moves tablebases: Seven-piece tablebases contain positions where a win requires hundreds of precise moves without a pawn move or capture; such wins are impossible under practical rules once the defender knows to claim at 50.
- Visibility: Many digital boards and online interfaces show a “half-move clock” (sometimes called the 50-move counter), helping players track how close they are to a claim or an automatic draw.
Common misconceptions and clarifications
- “75 moves” means 75 full moves by each side, not 75 individual moves total. In notation terms, that’s from, say, 62 to 136 inclusive without any capture or pawn move.
- Checks, stalemate threats, or repetition do not affect the 75-move count—only pawn moves and captures reset it.
- The 75-move rule does not replace the 50-move rule; it complements it. The 50-move rule is still the primary claimable draw in long endgames.