Draw Offer Etiquette
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If I'm reading the rules right, the draw offer may be made between the time you move your piece and hitting the clock, but there's nothing that says you have to wait for an answer before hitting the clock. I really don't know what the proper etiquitte is, though, since I've never been in a tournament. But that would give your opponent time (on his time) to evaluate the board and either accept the offer or play on.
I believe the proper procedure is make a move, say "I offer a draw", hit the clock. You can also make the move, hit the clock and say "I offer a draw" shortly after; the important thing is not to break your opponent's train of thought with the offer, so make it before it has time to ride off.
Do not offer a draw without also making a move. Your opponent can say "I'll think about it" and if you find a winning move later and make it, accept and still get the draw. That is because the draw offer stands until your opponent makes a move.
EDIT: I believe the OP misread the rule. You shall make the offer before hitting the clock, but you can hit the clock immediately after making the offer. You think about whether to accept a draw offer on your own time.
Silfir wrote:
I believe the proper procedure is make a move, say "I offer a draw", hit the clock. You can also make the move, hit the clock and say "I offer a draw" shortly after; the important thing is not to break your opponent's train of thought with the offer, so make it before it has time to ride off.
Do not offer a draw without also making a move. Your opponent can say "I'll think about it" and if you find a winning move later and make it, accept and still get the draw. That is because the draw offer stands until your opponent makes a move.
EDIT: I believe the OP misread the rule. You shall make the offer before hitting the clock, but you can hit the clock immediately after making the offer. You think about whether to accept a draw offer on your own time.
No, as Fezzik's said twice, the offer is part of your move. You cannot move (or offer draws) on your opponent's time. It can be considered distracting (and always against the rules). You'd probably only get a warning the first offense though.
Yes, you can (and should) hit your clock immediately after making an offer.
I like to say "I'll think about it" and then look for my next move. If I decline, I do so by making a move. I thought this was fine until one day someone did it to me. I guess I'm still inexperiance at draw offers in tourneys because when he said "I'll think about it" it really bugged me... I wanted my answer right away 
When playing in team competition, you can always ask your captain if you should accept the draw offer, although he can't base his decision on the board situation. Sometimes in team competition it happens multiple draws are be arranged by team captains.
Other exception: when your opponent is half a point away from making an IM (or GM) norm, it is often considered bad etiquette to refuse... (well I'd be lucky to agree to a draw against such player 
)
Estragon wrote:
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You consider the draw offer on your own time, as others have pointed out. Theoretically, you have until the last second before your flag falls to accept it but, if you do that, be sure there was a witness to the offer unless you know and trust your opponent. Players have been known to deny the offer when too much time burns off of your clock, so if you want it, accept it after reasonable thought and don't get cute.
I'm not sure how this could happen (in serious competition) considering the 8.1. , 9.1.b.2. and Appendix C13:
Article 8: The recording of the moves
| 8.1 |
In the course of play each player is required to record his own moves and those of his opponent in the correct manner, move after move, as clearly and legibily as possible, in the algebraic notation (See Appendix C), on the scoresheet prescribed for the competition. |
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It is forbidden to write the moves in advance, unless the player is claiming a draw according to Article 9.2, or 9.3 or adjourning a game according to the Guidelines of Adjourned Games point 1.a. |
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A player may reply to his opponent’s move before recording it, if he so wishes. He must record his previous move before making another. |
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Both players must record the offer of a draw on the scoresheet. (See Appendix C.13) |
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Article 9: The drawn game
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9.1 |
a. |
The rules of a competition may specify that players cannot agree to a draw, whether in less than a specified number of moves or at all, without the consent of the arbiter. |
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b. |
If the rules of a competition allow a draw agreement the following apply:
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http://www.fide.com/component/handbook/?id=124&view=article
orangehonda wrote:
Silfir wrote:
I believe the proper procedure is make a move, say "I offer a draw", hit the clock. You can also make the move, hit the clock and say "I offer a draw" shortly after; the important thing is not to break your opponent's train of thought with the offer, so make it before it has time to ride off.
Do not offer a draw without also making a move. Your opponent can say "I'll think about it" and if you find a winning move later and make it, accept and still get the draw. That is because the draw offer stands until your opponent makes a move.
EDIT: I believe the OP misread the rule. You shall make the offer before hitting the clock, but you can hit the clock immediately after making the offer. You think about whether to accept a draw offer on your own time.
No, as Fezzik's said twice, the offer is part of your move. You cannot move (or offer draws) on your opponent's time. It can be considered distracting (and always against the rules). You'd probably only get a warning the first offense though.
Yes, you can (and should) hit your clock immediately after making an offer.
I like to say "I'll think about it" and then look for my next move. If I decline, I do so by making a move. I thought this was fine until one day someone did it to me. I guess I'm still inexperiance at draw offers in tourneys because when he said "I'll think about it" it really bugged me... I wanted my answer right away
Read the rules more closely:
"An offer at any other time during play is still valid but Article 12.6 must be considered."
This means that if the offer could disturb the opposing player (12.6 is something like that I believe) it can have repercussions. But it's still a valid draw offer, valid until the opponent accepts it or declines it either explicitly or by moving a piece. You possibly violated rules of conduct making it, but your opponent is free to accept it still. That's why I said that if you offer immediately after pressing the clock, it should still be fine since your opponent didn't have time to form a coherent train of thought about the new move yet.
Thinking about it, I think that's not as easy as I think it is; if both players are in severe time trouble and blitzing their hands tired, even those couple of seconds might be vital. So just follow the "shall" rule to the letter and make the offer before pressing the clock. It's good sportsmanship anyway.
It seems like in OTB chess the right time to offer a draw is after you move but before you hit your clock because you don't then offer in your opponent's time.
but in daily online chess it seems better to offer the draw immediately before moving because then the offer is made in your time not your opponent's time. But if you offer a draw, is that draw then nullified by making a move in Online chess?
Unless you are playing bullet (lightning).
N2UHC is correct in saying that if you offer a draw, you play your move then offer the draw before pressing the clock, then press it so the time you are thinking about is your time wasted.
yes this is true if you are playing OTB but if you are playing online it would seem to be better manners to offer a draw before your move because if you move first and then offer a draw, you are offering the draw in your opponent's time and not you own.
So one time in a tournament we both had 5 seconds lefts and he hit the clock and asked for a draw.At the time I accepted the draw but looking back that may have been against the rules because he did it while I was thinking.What should I have done?Could I hit the clock and say you have to ask me before your click the clock or make my move and say his draw is invalid.
How long may one take to consider a draw offer in an OTB tournament? In FIDE's Laws, section 9, we read:
"A player wishing to offer a draw shall do so after having made a move on the chessboard and before stopping his clock and starting the opponent’s clock. An offer at any other time during play is still valid but Article 12.6 must be considered. No conditions can be attached to the offer. In both cases the offer cannot be withdrawn and remains valid until the opponent accepts it, rejects it orally, rejects it by touching a piece with the intention of moving or capturing it, or the game is concluded in some other way."
It thus would seem that, if my opponent offers me a draw, the time I take to think about it is time off of his clock, not mine! The only draw offer I've clearly seen was a game between grandmasters, and the offer was accepted within perhaps three seconds, but I'm not nearly good enough to decide if a position is drawn without taking some time to look at it. What's the norm?