# 50-Move Rule — Design Spec **Branch:** feat/NCS-11 **Date:** 2026-03-31 --- ## Overview Implement the FIDE 50-move rule: when 100 consecutive half-moves (plies) have been played without a pawn move or capture, the player whose turn it is may claim a draw by typing `draw`. The engine notifies observers when the threshold is reached so the UI can prompt the player. --- ## Motivation The 50-move rule prevents games from continuing indefinitely in positions where neither side can force checkmate. Under FIDE rules it is a player-claimed draw, not automatic. --- ## Section 1: Data Model — `GameHistory` `GameHistory` gains one new field: ```scala case class GameHistory(moves: List[HistoryMove] = List.empty, halfMoveClock: Int = 0) ``` The default value `0` means all existing construction sites compile unchanged. ### Clock update rule The clock resets to 0 on any pawn move or capture; otherwise it increments by 1. The main `addMove` overload gains two optional boolean flags: ```scala def addMove( from: Square, to: Square, castleSide: Option[CastleSide] = None, promotionPiece: Option[PromotionPiece] = None, wasPawnMove: Boolean = false, wasCapture: Boolean = false ): GameHistory = val newClock = if wasPawnMove || wasCapture then 0 else halfMoveClock + 1 GameHistory(moves :+ HistoryMove(from, to, castleSide, promotionPiece), newClock) ``` The base `addMove(HistoryMove)` overload is made **private**; all public call sites route through the flagged overload above. The no-argument overload `addMove(from, to)` used in tests and en passant history recording defaults both flags to `false` (clock increments) and remains for backward compatibility. --- ## Section 2: Clock Update in `GameController` ### `applyNormalMove` Two flags are derived from already-available data before calling `history.addMove`: ```scala val wasPawnMove = board.pieceAt(from).exists(_.pieceType == PieceType.Pawn) val wasCapture = captured.isDefined // computed earlier in the same method val newHistory = history.addMove(from, to, castleOpt, wasPawnMove = wasPawnMove, wasCapture = wasCapture) ``` En passant moves are pawn captures, so both flags are `true` — the clock resets. ### `completePromotion` Pawn promotion is always a pawn move, so `wasPawnMove = true`: ```scala val newHistory = history.addMove(from, to, None, Some(piece), wasPawnMove = true) ``` --- ## Section 3: Claim Mechanism and New Events ### New events (`Observer.scala`) ```scala /** Fired after any move where the 50-move rule threshold is reached (halfMoveClock >= 100). */ case class FiftyMoveRuleAvailableEvent( board: Board, history: GameHistory, turn: Color ) extends GameEvent /** Fired when a player successfully claims a draw under the 50-move rule. */ case class DrawClaimedEvent( board: Board, history: GameHistory, turn: Color ) extends GameEvent ``` ### Claim handling in `GameEngine.processUserInput` A new `"draw"` case is added before the move-parsing fallthrough: ```scala case "draw" => if currentHistory.halfMoveClock >= 100 then currentBoard = Board.initial currentHistory = GameHistory.empty currentTurn = Color.White invoker.clear() notifyObservers(DrawClaimedEvent(currentBoard, currentHistory, currentTurn)) else notifyObservers(InvalidMoveEvent( currentBoard, currentHistory, currentTurn, "Draw cannot be claimed: the 50-move rule has not been triggered." )) ``` The game state resets to initial (same pattern as `Checkmate` and `Stalemate`). The command invoker is cleared so undo/redo history does not survive the draw claim. ### Availability notification in `GameEngine` After any move that results in `Moved` or `MovedInCheck`, the engine checks whether the threshold has been crossed: ```scala if newHistory.halfMoveClock >= 100 then notifyObservers(FiftyMoveRuleAvailableEvent(currentBoard, currentHistory, currentTurn)) ``` This fires immediately after the `MoveExecutedEvent` (or `CheckDetectedEvent`) for that move. --- ## Section 4: Files Changed | File | Change | |------|--------| | `modules/core/src/main/scala/de/nowchess/chess/logic/GameHistory.scala` | Add `halfMoveClock` field; extend `addMove` with `wasPawnMove`/`wasCapture` flags; make base overload private | | `modules/core/src/main/scala/de/nowchess/chess/controller/GameController.scala` | Compute and pass flags in `applyNormalMove` and `completePromotion` | | `modules/core/src/main/scala/de/nowchess/chess/observer/Observer.scala` | Add `FiftyMoveRuleAvailableEvent` and `DrawClaimedEvent` | | `modules/core/src/main/scala/de/nowchess/chess/engine/GameEngine.scala` | Handle `"draw"` input; fire `FiftyMoveRuleAvailableEvent` after eligible moves | | `modules/core/src/test/scala/de/nowchess/chess/logic/GameHistoryTest.scala` | New test suite for clock update rules | | `modules/core/src/test/scala/de/nowchess/chess/controller/GameControllerTest.scala` | Tests for clock values in `applyNormalMove` and `completePromotion` | | `modules/core/src/test/scala/de/nowchess/chess/engine/GameEngineTest.scala` | Tests for `"draw"` command and `FiftyMoveRuleAvailableEvent` | `EnPassantCalculator`, `CastlingRightsCalculator`, `MoveValidator`, `GameRules`, and their tests are **not** touched. --- ## Section 5: Testing ### `GameHistoryTest` - Clock starts at 0 - Clock increments on a normal (non-pawn, non-capture) move - Clock resets to 0 on a pawn move (`wasPawnMove = true`) - Clock resets to 0 on a capture (`wasCapture = true`) - Clock resets to 0 when both flags are true (en passant) - Clock carries correctly across multiple sequential moves ### `GameControllerTest` - `applyNormalMove` with a non-pawn, non-capture produces `history.halfMoveClock = 1` - `applyNormalMove` with a pawn move produces `history.halfMoveClock = 0` - `applyNormalMove` with a capture produces `history.halfMoveClock = 0` - `completePromotion` always produces `history.halfMoveClock = 0` ### `GameEngineTest` - `processUserInput("draw")` fires `DrawClaimedEvent` and resets state when `halfMoveClock >= 100` - `processUserInput("draw")` fires `InvalidMoveEvent` when `halfMoveClock < 100` - A successful non-pawn, non-capture move that brings the clock to exactly 100 fires `FiftyMoveRuleAvailableEvent` - A successful move that does not reach 100 does not fire `FiftyMoveRuleAvailableEvent`