---
title: "Seventy-five-move rule in chess"
url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/seventy-five-move-rule.md"
canonical_url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/seventy-five-move-rule"
last_updated: "2026-11-07"
type: "reference"
summary: "The seventy-five-move rule ends the game in a draw automatically when each player has made at least seventy-five moves without a pawn move or a capture."
related: ["https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fifty-move-rule.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fivefold-repetition.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/half-move.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/checkmate.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/draw-by-agreement.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/arbiter.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/rules-notation.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md"]
---

# Seventy-five-move rule in chess

> **For AI agents:** the complete index of GeorgeLiChess pages is [llms.txt](https://georgelichess.com/llms.txt). Every page is also served as markdown at its URL plus .md.

The seventy-five-move rule ends the game in a draw automatically when each player has made at least seventy-five moves without a pawn move or a capture.

The seventy-five-move rule ends the game in a draw automatically when each player has made at least seventy-five moves without a pawn move or a capture, unless the last move was checkmate.

Seventy-five moves each, or one hundred and fifty [half-moves](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/half-move.md), with no pawn move and no capture makes the game a draw with no claim required. It is the automatic cousin of the [fifty-move rule](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fifty-move-rule.md), just as [fivefold repetition](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fivefold-repetition.md) is the automatic cousin of [threefold repetition](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/threefold-repetition.md). The Laws add one tie-breaker: if the move that completes the seventy-five is itself [checkmate](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/checkmate.md), the checkmate takes precedence and the game is won. In practice the fifty-move claim usually ends such a game earlier, but a claim has to be made; if nobody makes it and the count keeps running, the seventy-five-move rule is the backstop that finishes the game. It rarely arrives in over-the-board play because players claim at fifty or change the structure first. It matters in long [engine](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/chess-engine.md) endgames and in some online systems that apply it as an automatic limit. The lesson for an attacking player is the same as before. Plan pawn moves and exchanges before the counter becomes the opponent's friend, not afterwards.

Once "Seventy-five-move rule" is familiar, the next question is what to work on at your rating, which the [improvement plans by rating band](https://georgelichess.com/improve.md) answer with game and puzzle data.

## Related terms

- [Fifty-move rule](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fifty-move-rule.md)
- [Fivefold repetition](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fivefold-repetition.md)
- [Half-move](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/half-move.md)
- [Checkmate](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/checkmate.md)
- [Draw by agreement](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/draw-by-agreement.md)
- [Arbiter](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/arbiter.md)

## Guides that go further

- [How to choose a chess coach](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-choose-a-chess-coach.md): What to decide first, the questions to ask, what a first lesson should show and the red flags to avoid.
- [How much does chess coaching cost?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-coaching-cost.md): Published rates for private, group and subscription chess coaching, with the source and the date of each.
- [The first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book/first-lesson.md): A game review, a read on your level and a written study plan from George Li.

## Sources

- FIDE Laws of Chess (effective 1 January 2023) (Article 9.6.2), read 2026-10-21: https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/E012023

[Book your first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book.md) and George Li reviews your games and builds a study plan around them. Questions about lessons: write to hello@georgelichess.com.

## Related

- [Fifty-move rule in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fifty-move-rule.md)
- [Fivefold repetition in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fivefold-repetition.md)
- [Half-move in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/half-move.md)
- [Checkmate in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/checkmate.md)
- [Draw by agreement in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/draw-by-agreement.md)
- [Arbiter in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/arbiter.md)
- [Chess terms: Rules, notation and equipment](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/rules-notation.md)
- [Chess terms glossary: plain definitions](https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md)