I played a game where I delivered mate just as my opponent said "your flag
has fallen"
In fact he might have got his sentence out a nano second before, it was hard
to tell.

I thought maybe he had a case but the controller awarded the game to me.
My opponent, to his credit, accepted this without any complaint. He seemed
to take the view that chess was just a bit of fun and nothing to get all het
up about. Weird huh?


"Jim" wrote in message
...
In a blitz tournament game, a player's flag fell in the process of
delivering mate. Both player's had mating material, and time was claimed
immediately (before the mating piece had been released). The controller
awarded the game to the mater, on the principle that mate finishes the
game,
so there's no need to press the clock.

Is this true?

Jim

"Jim" wrote in message
...
In a blitz tournament game, a player's flag fell in the process of
delivering mate. Both player's had mating material, and time was claimed
immediately (before the mating piece had been released). The controller
awarded the game to the mater, on the principle that mate finishes the
game,
so there's no need to press the clock.

Is this true?

Jim

In this case the arbiters decision was wrong since you clearly state that
the time claim was made before the move was completed. If this issue had
been in dispute then the game would have been awarded to the mater.

"Jim" wrote:
In a blitz tournament game, a player's flag fell in the process of
delivering mate. ....

You never can tell what rules will be in effect in any particular blitz
tournament, but in general, the mating piece must be released (on its new
square) before the flag is called (not merely down) in order for the mate to
trump the flag.

Bill Smythe

In article ,
"Robert Musicant" wrote:


"Jim" wrote in message
...
In a blitz tournament game, a player's flag fell in the process of
delivering mate. Both player's had mating material, and time was claimed
immediately (before the mating piece had been released). The controller
awarded the game to the mater, on the principle that mate finishes the
game,
so there's no need to press the clock.

Is this true?

Jim

It is true the mate ends the game with no need to punch the clock, but under
your scenario mate had not yet been delivered as of the moment the flag fall
was called. Under USCF rules, the game would thus go to the person calling
time. (Rule 13A2 Flag fall before checkmate). In the event of a dispute
over whether time had been called first or the piece had been released
first, the decision would be in favor of the player delivering mate. (Rule
13A3 Unclear if checkmate or flag fall occurred first).


That's why I always just throw the piece at the square I want if it
looks like it's going to be close.

--Harold Buck


"I used to rock and roll all night,
and party every day.
Then it was every other day. . . ."
-Homer J. Simpson