Claim

A claim is a formal act in which a player asks the arbiter to apply a rule to a particular situation. Merely voicing a suspicion or arguing with the opponent is not enough; the player must invoke the relevant right and follow its procedure.

The Laws allow claims in different circumstances. A player may validly point out a flag-fall, meaning that the allotted time has expired. A player may also make a draw claim because the same position occurred three times or because each player completed fifty moves without a pawn move or capture.

The procedure depends on the ground. For certain draw claims, the claimant must be the player having the move and may need to declare an intended move that cannot then be changed. The player or arbiter pauses the clock while the matter is checked. The claim cannot be withdrawn: if correct, the game ends; if incorrect, play continues and the opponent receives additional time.

A claim is not the same as a draw offer or an appeal against a decision already made. An offer is addressed to the opponent; a claim asks the arbiter for a rules ruling. Unreasonable or repeated claims may be treated as a distraction.