In short: The rule that a piece of your own that you deliberately touch must be moved, and an opponent's piece that you touch must be captured, if possible.
At a real board you can change your mind in the middle of a move: pick up a piece, think again and put it back. In tournament chess you can't. FIDE's Laws of Chess say, roughly:
- If you deliberately touch one of your own pieces, you must move it, if it can be moved. If you touch several, the first one that can be moved is the one that counts.
- If you deliberately touch one of your opponent's pieces, you must capture it, if it can be captured.
- If you touch one of your own pieces and one of your opponent's, you must capture the touched enemy piece with your own, if you can.
- If none of the touched pieces can be moved or captured, you may make any legal move you like.
- Once you have let go of a piece on a new square in a legal move, the move is made. It can't be changed.
J'adoube: straightening a piece
If a piece stands crooked on its square, you may straighten it, but only when it is your move and only if you say so first. The classic expression is the French j'adoube, I adjust, and saying I adjust works just as well. If you say nothing, touching the piece counts as deliberate, unless it was clearly an accident.
Castling and touch-move
Castling counts as a king move, so the king should be moved first. If you first touch the king and then the rook, you must castle on that side, if it is allowed. If it isn't allowed, you must make another move with the king, if there is one. If you deliberately touch the rook first and then the king, you may not castle on that side on that move. Then the rook counts as the touched piece and must be moved, if it can be.
Who points it out?
It is up to your opponent to point out a breach of the rule, and they have to do it before touching a piece to make their own move. Once your opponent has touched a piece to make their move, the right to claim is gone.
At home and online. At the kitchen table you decide for yourselves, and many people let beginners take back moves. That is perfectly fine. On the screen, the move is made when you let go of the piece on a new square.
Frequently asked questions
What does j'adoube mean?
It is French for “I adjust.” You say it before you straighten a piece on its square, so that your opponent understands you don't intend to move it. Saying “I adjust” works just as well.
Does touch-move apply when you play at home?
That is up to you. Many people let beginners take back moves, and that is perfectly fine. If you want to get used to tournament play, it is wise to play with touch-move.
Can you take back a move once you have let go of the piece?
No. Once the piece has been released on a new square in a legal move, the move is made and can't be changed.
Updated October 31, 2026