Hi folks :-)
For some years I read an article in a chess magazine about following topic:
in the position
http://de.lichess.org/analysis/4rknB/5p2/5P2/8/8/1q6/8/K7_w_-_-White is to move... and only has one legal move... 1.Bg7#
but white is out of time!
Do you think white should win automatically such a position - even if there is no more time on the clock to make a move - because the game is impossible to continue without checkmating the opponent..?!?
#1 Without even looking... no, White might not see that move and might resign! So a win shouldn't automatically be awarded.
I do have opinions on "insufficient losing chances" but they differ from what is almost universally done, so it's probably best to just play with an increment and not lose on time.
even if such a rule were implemented, this kind of position happens so rarely that I don't think its' worth it. while conventions of play for online games are different, the mechanics of play should be incidental.
this is, however, likely covered under the 2nd part of fide rule 6.9 [time out is loss] "... the game is drawn if the position is such that the opponent cannot checkmate the player’s king by any possible series of legal moves." so I think the game is drawn here. experts?
"... the game is drawn if the position is such that the opponent cannot checkmate the player’s king by any possible series of legal moves."
Can it sometimes be difficult to decide whether this criterion is met?
If their time is up, they haven't properly controlled their clock. Since both sides agreed to play with a certain time control, it is each player's responsibility to manage their clock to not run out of time. Therefore, I don't think the win should be awarded to white.
I don't know if you guys were attentive, but white only have one legal move and it's a checkmate, that's what OP is accentuating. It's obvious for online games to make white lose here, but in OTB games the player could call the arbiter and he would decide. I don't know the rules (and they may often differ), but I heard something that if one side has a checkmate on the next move then that side cannot lose (probably a draw or maybe even a win). I also know that if the time ran out, but there's a checkmate on the board — it's a win for that side (at least that's how they judge here).
P.S. I assumed we're talking about blitz games, since I very much doubt this could happen in a classic game.
If there is an arbiter - The win is likely credited to white.
If it's typical online chess - The win is likely credited to black.
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#8 My opinion is that FIDE rule 6.9 ought to be interpreted or expanded to handle such cases, although such has not yet happened and isn't likely to happen because it requires consensus of large numbers of people.
That's simple: add premoves to OTB games! =P
