Draws in chess were not a valid result until… #FactOftheDay

Yes, that is correct, draws were not a valid chess result in tournament play in the 1800s. If a game finished a draw, it had to be repeated. The first event that actually applied the draw rule to the crosstable was Dundee in 1867.

The Dundee tournament is considered the fourth ever international tournament of modern times. The first was in Madrid (1575), Paris (1821), and London (1862). Dundee was won by Neumann ahead of Steinz, and the difference between them was exactly 1/2 points, the draw that counted.

The modern option of no-draw tournament games is Armageddon – where black gets less time, but in case of a draw wins.

El Torneo de Dundee de 1867 fue el primero en el que las tablas comenzaron a valer medio punto. Anteriormente, los empates se solían considerar nulos y se debía repetir la partida. pic.twitter.com/OgzcpOHAXz

— Luis Fernández Siles (@capakhine) August 19, 2024