Touch-move rule

The touch-move rule applies to chess played in person with physical pieces. If the player whose turn it is deliberately touches a piece with the intention of moving or capturing it, that contact limits what the player may do next.

• After touching an own piece, the player must move the first touched piece that has any legal move.
• After touching an opponent's piece, the player must capture the first touched piece that can legally be captured.
• If none of the relevant touched pieces can legally move or be captured, the player may make any legal move.

Clearly accidental contact does not activate the rule. To center a piece without moving it to another square, the player must announce the intention before touching it by saying j'adoube, I adjust, or an equivalent expression. Saying it afterward does not cancel the earlier touch.

Until the piece is released, the player may choose among its legal destination squares. Once it is released on a legal square, it cannot be moved elsewhere on that turn. For castling, the king is touched first; touching the rook first and then the king prevents castling on that side for that move.