An unusual illegal move

[Joey Stewart]

So I was playing a rapid game last night which featured a situation I have never encountered before - my opponent went for a bishop exchange, picked up both bishops, realised one needed to remain on the board but ended up putting my piece back instead of his (therefore "capturing" his own bishop).

I just let him take it back and fix it rather then getting into any sort of messy dispute, but I wondered afterwards how would that be officiated if it were to occur in a tournament situation - an illegal move maybe, or would I just get to keep the extra piece ?

[MartinCarpenter]

I guess at that point your opponent simply hasn't played a move. Their bishop is still (more or less) picked up and in their hand - people don't often do it but I can't see putting a piece you're definitely going to move down off the board while thinking as being viewed as especially serious.

Presumably they'd legally just have to complete the bishop capture?

[IM Jack Rudd]

If a player picks up pieces of both colours, they must make a capture involving both pieces if they can legally do so.

[Ian Thompson]

So I was playing a rapid game last night which featured a situation I have never encountered before - my opponent went for a bishop exchange, picked up both bishops, realised one needed to remain on the board but ended up putting my piece back instead of his (therefore "capturing" his own bishop).

I just let him take it back and fix it rather then getting into any sort of messy dispute, but I wondered afterwards how would that be officiated if it were to occur in a tournament situation - an illegal move maybe, or would I just get to keep the extra piece ?

It depends on whether your opponent pressed the clock or not.

If he didn't press the clock then he hasn't played an illegal move and he can put it right. The only claim you might make is that he distracted you by what he did.

If he did press the clock then he has played an illegal move. If an arbiter sees this he should intervene and penalise the illegal move. As it's a rapidplay game, if the arbiter doesn't intervene then you can choose between making an illegal move claim yourself or continuing the game from the position on the board.

[Reg Clucas]

I had a similar incident in a Rapidplay, also with a Bishop exchange. My opponent captured my Bishop, picked up both Bishops and moved his hand to press the clock - but was in such a hurry that he dropped both Bishops back on my Bishop's square. However he continued his hand movement and pressed the clock. I therefore claimed an illegal move. What was annoying though was that when the arbiter arrived my opponent swore blind that this had not happened. I therefore found it particularly satisfying to win in the end.