Classic chess rules

Timing

Tournament games are played under time constraints, called time controls, using a game clock. Each player must make his moves within the time control or be subject to forfeiting the game. There are different types of time controls. In some cases each player will have a certain amount of time to make a certain number of moves. In other cases each player will have a limited amount of time to make all of their moves. In addition to having this time limit, the player may gain a small amount of additional time for each move made, either by a small increment added for each move made or by the clock delaying a small amount of time each time it is started after the opponent's move (Schiller 2003:21–24).

• If there is a checkmate on the board, the player delivering checkmate wins instantly, no matter what is subsequently noticed about the time.
• If player A calls attention to the fact that player B is out of time, player A is not out of time and some sequence of legal moves leads to B being checkmated then player A wins automatically. If player A does not have the possibility of checkmating B then the game is a draw (Schiller 2003:28).
• If player A calls attention to the fact that player B is out of time, but it is then noted that player A is also out of time, then

(1) if it is a sudden death time control, and it can not be established which player ran out of time first, the game is drawn;

(2) if it is not at the end of a sudden death time control, the game continues in the next time control.

If a player believes his opponent is attempting to win a drawn position on time and not by normal means (i.e. checkmate), if it is a sudden death time control and the player has less than two minutes remaining, he may stop the clocks and claim a draw with the arbiter. The arbiter may declare the game a draw or postpone the decision and allot the opponent two extra minutes (Schiller 2003:21–24,29).