Short draw

A short draw is a game that ends level unusually early compared with a normal game. The phrase describes the game's brevity, but the Laws of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) do not define a separate result category called a short draw or set a universal move number after which a draw stops being 'short.'

When the term is used for an agreed draw after only a few moves, the competition regulations matter. They may prohibit draw offers or agreements before a specified number of moves, or may require the arbiter's consent. That threshold belongs to the particular event rather than to a worldwide definition of short draw.

A game can also end early through other legal draw rules. For example, stalemate occurs when the player to move has no legal move and the king is not in check; a draw can also be claimed when the same position repeats under the conditions of the rules. A restriction on agreeing a draw therefore does not automatically make every early draw illegal. It should also not be confused with a half-point bye, where no game is played.