When Do I Accept a Draw?

A question and answer column by National Master Andy Lee

Q: In my most recent tournament, my opponent offered me a draw.  How do I know whether or not to accept a draw offer?

A: Many people feel differently about when they should or shouldn't take a draw.  Sometimes you have no choice because neither of you have any pieces left.

 

Good luck trying to win this position!  You also cannot win with one knight, one bishop, or two knights. For more information on "what makes a draw in chess", check out Grandmaster Yermolinsky's article by clicking here.

You may also run across some positions in which you cannot make any progress because your opponent doesn't let you out of check, like in the position below.

 

This type of position is called perpetual check.  In fact, in both of the above positions, you should feel content to take a draw.  In reality, there's nothing much better that you can do.  However, a lot of the time your opponent will offer a draw in a more complicated position, and you must decide for yourself what to do.

I tell my students to almost always decline draw offers.  I follow this rule myself, for two reasons.  First, by declining the offer of a draw, I end up getting to play more chess. What could be better than that?  This will not only be fun, it will also be a good learning experience for me.  You can't learn how to play the endgame if you always take draws in the middlegame!

Second, your opponent will rarely offer a draw when he or she feels that the position is a good one. Think about it... But a player will often offer a draw when he or she is unhappy about the position.  A draw offer is a good opportunity for you to figure out what your opponent is afraid of.

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule.  Don't feel bad about taking a draw if you feel sick or tired, if you are sure that you are losing, or if you cannot figure out what to do to win the position.