Guy Macon http://www.guymacon.com/ wrote:
David Richerby wrote:
If the position on the board was the same but the players both had
only one minute left (so there's no question of one player having
managed his time better than the other), do you believe that the game
should be won on time by the player who's able to wiggle his king
faster? If so, why does the same not apply to cases where no
checkmate is even theoretically possible (e.g., two bare kings)? If
not, doesn't this demonstrate that the clock is actually less a part
of the game than is trying to checkmate the opponent's king?

While I totally agree with you concerning the need for FIDE article
10.2, I don't think that the example in the first paragraph shows
that "the clock is actually less a part of the game than is trying
to checkmate the opponent's king." Your example is one where trying
to checkmate the opponent's king is no longer a viable option.

I assume you mean the example of two bare kings? In that case, as
soon as checkmating stops being an option, the game is immediately
declared drawn, regardless of the situation on the clocks. That, to
me, clearly demonstrates that the clock is subsidiary to checkmate --
as long as you have time on your clock, you still have to try to
checkmate; but as soon as checkmate is no longer possible, nor is a
win on time.


With a modern chess clock that adds time on each move, you cannot
lose on time in a position that allows you to mindlessly move your
king around. In that case FIDE article 10.2 just makes the
inevitable draw happen sooner.

Actually, FIDE 10.2 doesn't apply if there's an increment in the time
control. It's only applicable where the time control is a fixed time
for the rest of the game. (In particular, if the time control is
forty moves in two hours and then an extra hour every fifteen moves,
10.2 can never be invoked. If it is forty in two hours and then an
extra hour for the rest of the game, it can only be invoked after move
forty.)


Dave.

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