What's the answer to this?

[MJMcCready]

Hi all, what's the answer to this, I have no idea.

https://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments ... &context=3

[Joey Stewart]

The answer would be how you interpret the rule.

If you believe that having material with the potential to checkmate (regardless of whether it can be practically achieved) then the position would be a win for black.

If you think the rule is more along the lines of a player must be able to deliver checkmate by any sequence of legal moves then it would be a draw as the game is about to be ended by force (the only legal move for white IS an immediate checkmate) so black would never be able to win had the game continued.

[IM Jack Rudd]

A draw. There is no legal sequence of moves from the position where black can give checkmate, so black cannot win on time.

[John Upham]

A draw. There is no legal sequence of moves from the position where black can give checkmate, so black cannot win on time.

Does your ruling depend on

1. Rules implemented by the online chess provider

or

2. Rules implemented by the NGB for the OTB game? (USCF nonsense rules spring to mind) ?

[Alex McFarlane]

Hi John,

That is the over the board Laws.

It is also the Laws for an online tournament with an arbiter who should over-rule the platform.

[MJMcCready]

So there is no definitive answer?

[Roger Lancaster]

So there is no definitive answer?

The definitive answer, as others have already explained, is that it's a draw. FIDE article 6.9 - " ... 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" applies here.

[MJMcCready]

ok thanks.

[E Michael White]

So there is no definitive answer?

The definitive answer, as others have already explained, is that it's a draw. FIDE article 6.9 - " ... 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" applies here.

The draw proposition may not be a complete solution. Consider a slightly different position, which arrives at the position shown after 2 half moves.

eg

Blacks previous move was Ra8-a5 ch
White then attempted to play Kg5-g6 but did not release the king after picking it up to move and was still holding it when his flag fell, as observed by the arbiter.

White loses on time as all the conditions of the law are satisfied.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Well yes, but that is because the move was not completed. Makes total sense.