PGN Technical question

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Michael Farthing
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PGN Technical question

Post by Michael Farthing » Thu Oct 30, 2014 6:34 pm

Draw offers should be recorded on scoresheets by (=) but I cannot find any reference to draw offers in the pgn specification. Can anyone tell me if there is a formal method of representation of a draw offer within the current spec or, alternatively, if there is a generally accepted approach (eg a custom NAG)?

[Note: this is for programming purposes so interoperability with other automated systems is necessary. Obviously I could just use {(=)} but this loses the possibility of machine interpretation]

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IM Jack Rudd
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Re: PGN Technical question

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Thu Oct 30, 2014 6:42 pm

There's no formal method, no. If needed, they're put in as comments.

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Michael Farthing
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Re: PGN Technical question

Post by Michael Farthing » Thu Oct 30, 2014 6:52 pm

Thanks Jack. Rather what I feared. Seems a bit of an omission as it's now a formal part of the notation, but I suppose pgn predates that.

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Rob Thompson
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Re: PGN Technical question

Post by Rob Thompson » Fri Oct 31, 2014 12:01 am

I don't think they're regularly used in published games either, which is probably also due more to tradition than conscious decision.
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Michael Farthing
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Re: PGN Technical question

Post by Michael Farthing » Fri Oct 31, 2014 9:46 am

It raises the interesting question of whether the rule is also ignored in play as well! I must admit that I do not record the majority of draw offers and my impression is that my opponents don't record them either. It came to a head because I reformed myself and did actually do so at the Leyland Congress. This thread arose because when entering the game into my own (self-written) database I realised it couldn't handle the draw offer.

How meticulous are others in recording draw offers?

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Rob Thompson
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Re: PGN Technical question

Post by Rob Thompson » Fri Oct 31, 2014 10:18 am

I always record draw offers, though to me this is to show that I've heard the offer as much as to have it noted for future reference.
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soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: PGN Technical question

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Fri Oct 31, 2014 3:21 pm

Michael Farthing wrote:Draw offers should be recorded on scoresheets by (=) but I cannot find any reference to draw offers in the pgn specification. Can anyone tell me if there is a formal method of representation of a draw offer within the current spec or, alternatively, if there is a generally accepted approach (eg a custom NAG)?

[Note: this is for programming purposes so interoperability with other automated systems is necessary. Obviously I could just use {(=)} but this loses the possibility of machine interpretation]
some draw offers are indicated by "1/2". Look for the Unicode

soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: PGN Technical question

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Fri Oct 31, 2014 3:24 pm

Michael Farthing wrote:It raises the interesting question of whether the rule is also ignored in play as well! I must admit that I do not record the majority of draw offers and my impression is that my opponents don't record them either. It came to a head because I reformed myself and did actually do so at the Leyland Congress. This thread arose because when entering the game into my own (self-written) database I realised it couldn't handle the draw offer.

How meticulous are others in recording draw offers?
I don't record them too.I guess I record a draw offer once in my some 15-year career

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