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What is the stupidest rule in chess?

@Sonya_Alushkina said ^

I think that stalemate = a draw, not a win, is an unpleasant surprise for many beginners. This rule has existed for over 500 years and maintains a balance between attack and defense. "Stupid" moments arise when the winning side makes mistakes; proper endgame technique prevents them. Masters deliberately use stalemate as a resource for stealing half-points and defeating their opponents.

It hasn't existed for 500 years. It's only in the 19th century that we have standardized on "stalemate is draw". Before that, different rules where in effect depending on when and where you played. It could be a win for the stalemating player. It could be a win for the stalemated player. It could be a half-win for the stalemating player. The stalemated player could just lose his/her turn. The stalemating move could be illegal. Or it could be a draw as it's now.

We may think of chess as an old game whose rules were set in stone many centuries ago, but that isn't true.

@Sonya_Alushkina said [^](/forum/redirect/post/u2m3C62b) > I think that stalemate = a draw, not a win, is an unpleasant surprise for many beginners. This rule has existed for over 500 years and maintains a balance between attack and defense. "Stupid" moments arise when the winning side makes mistakes; proper endgame technique prevents them. Masters deliberately use stalemate as a resource for stealing half-points and defeating their opponents. It hasn't existed for 500 years. It's only in the 19th century that we have standardized on "stalemate is draw". Before that, different rules where in effect depending on when and where you played. It could be a win for the stalemating player. It could be a win for the stalemated player. It could be a half-win for the stalemating player. The stalemated player could just lose his/her turn. The stalemating move could be illegal. Or it could be a draw as it's now. We may think of chess as an old game whose rules were set in stone many centuries ago, but that isn't true.