tasapeliä

Tasapeliä is the partitive form of tasapeli, a Finnish noun that means a draw or tie in a competition, or a state of balance in a game. The term is used to describe situations where no participant has a decisive advantage after a match, round, or contest.

In sports, board games, and card games, tasapeliä indicates that the result is tied and no winner is declared in that round. The practical consequences vary by rules: some systems award one point to each side, while others use different scoring schemes. In leagues or tournaments, draws contribute to overall standings and can influence qualification, relegation, or progression, depending on the governing rules.

In chess, tasapeli is a common outcome when neither side can force a win. Draws arise through several mechanisms, including stalemate, threefold repetition of position, the fifty-move rule, perpetual check, or by agreement between the players. Other games may reach a tasapeli through time running out with equal scores or by mutual concession.

The concept reflects balance and equality rather than a decisive victory. Etymologically, tasapeli combines tasainen (even, equal) with peli (game), underscoring the notion of an even contest. The term is widely used in Finnish discourse on competition, strategy, and game theory to denote neutral or unresolved outcomes.