Touch-move rule

Chess rule requiring a player to move or capture a piece deliberately touched Touching a piece can incur consequences in competitive chess, but typically not in informal play. The touch-move rule in chess specifies that a player, having the move, who deliberately touches a piece on the board must move or capture that piece if it is legal to do so. If it is the player's piece that was touched, it must be moved if the piece has a legal move. If the opponent's piece was touched, it must be captured if possible. If the touched piece cannot be legally moved or captured, there is no penalty. This is a rule of chess that is enforced in all formal over-the-board competitions. A player claiming a touch-move violation must do so before themselves touching a piece. A player who wants to adjust a piece on its square without being required to move it can announce the French j'adoube ("I adjust") before touching the piece. While j'adoube is internationally understood, a local language equivalent such as "adjusting" is usually acceptable. A player may not touch the pieces on the board during the opponent's turn. There is a separate rule that a player who lets go of a piece after making a legal mo