Touch move rule

Technical questions regarding Openings, Middlegames, Endings etc.
stevencarr

Touch move rule

Post by stevencarr » Sun Feb 07, 2016 10:31 am

In a blitz game, my opponent picked up his Queen , which was off the board, so that he could promote a pawn.

Then he realised that it would be stalemate, so gave a Rook check instead.

As he had touched his Queen, could I have insisted that he promote his pawn?

Alex McFarlane
Posts: 1757
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:52 pm

Re: Touch move rule

Post by Alex McFarlane » Sun Feb 07, 2016 10:41 am

No.

Only when a piece touches the promotion square is it anything more than just a bit of plastic or wood.

Even if your opponent had asked the arbiter to get him a queen you could not insist on him promoting to it.

Ray Sayers

Re: Touch move rule

Post by Ray Sayers » Sun Feb 07, 2016 10:42 am

As far as I can see by the rules, the pawn isn't promoted to anything until you have replaced it with a piece. In this case the rook.
Touching another piece off the board makes no difference; it is not in play until it is placed on the board. I think technically you are supposed to also say what piece you are promoting to (I can't recall the last time, other than juniors who always shout 'queen!!', when I heard someone do that).
Edit: Well done Alex, beat me to it :D