If you say check, are you obligated to make that move? If you have still not let go of the piece?

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619sage

Me and a friend were playing chess. I moved to peace but I have possession of it still and said check before I let go of the piece. I immediately saw I didn’t wanna make the move. Am I obligated?

Vocaloid39

Things should be more casual with friends and I'd let you not be obligated if we were playing, but if this was a real chess tournament (FIDE, or USCF), then it is probably the "touch-move rule" where you have to make a move with the piece you touched. If you have no legal moves with that piece, then you can play whatever as if you hadn't touched it.

As for saying "check", that is not binding. Saying "check" isn't even required in chess tournaments and actually is frowned upon because talking can be distracting to the boards near you. If someone plays a check at an in-person tournament, it is just expected the opponent sees it is a check.