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Vasyl Ivanchuk vs Mikhail Gurevich
ACP World Rapid Cup (2010) (rapid), Odessa UKR, rd 1, May-27
Semi-Slav Defense: Accelerated Meran Variation (D45)  ·  1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
May-28-10  Robin01: Strange ending! Only in a Chucky game!:)
May-28-10  paul1959: Not so strange: Despite minimum and equal material this is not 100% draw ( as per speed chess rules). Either side can be mated legaly and so time forfeit is a loss.
May-28-10  redwhitechess: the pun (and fact) in this game "I want the Knight!"
Sep-29-10  Fezzik: Why didn't the arbiter step in and declare a draw after White's 59th move?
Sep-29-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  paulalbert: On what basis would arbiter declare draw?
With K+N versus K+N mate is possible, although highly unlikely, and therefore loss on time is possible. See <paul1959> post. I don't know what the actual situation was here. Ivanchuk and Gurevich may have just played on to have a little fun, but I doubt arbiter technically could demand a draw.
Sep-29-10  Garech: Crazy game. It's not possible to mate with just one knight, <Fezzik> is correct. They may have just been having fun, or being stubborn and not agreeing to draw, or one of them may have been in time trouble, or they may have been playing footsie under the table and not want to stop. Any number of reasons.
Sep-29-10  Gilmoy: <Garech: Crazy game. It's not possible to mate with just one knight, <Fezzik> is correct.>

It's not possible to <force> mate with 1 (or even 2) knights. However, it is possible to <help>mate with K+N vs. K + (N or P), by the Stamma's mate position, e.g. (and remember this is <collaborative>) <59.Kxa2> Kg7 60.Nc5 Kh8 61.Kb3 Nf6 62.Kc4 Nh7 63.Kd5 Kg7 64.Ke6 Kg8 65.Nd7 Kg7 66.Ne5 Kh8 67.Ke7 Nf6 68.Kf7 Nh7 69.Ng6#


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Replace the Black N with a P for a canonical Stamma's mate. It's even rarer than an Anastasia, but it's decided a few games in this database.

Hence, paul1959 and paulalbert are both correct: It is not yet a draw <in rapid>.

Sep-29-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  paulalbert: <Gilmoy> Thanks, I was going to send the same position with a sample variation leading to it. It's important to understand the distinction between being able to force mate with certain material and create positions where it's possible if your opponent blunders into it and how that's interpreted for time expirations.The mystery and beauty of chess in such situations as in this example is you can be better off with less material. Here, if you were ahead and might win on time, it's a mistake to capture the knight, if the rules of the contest are using a pure theoretical possibility interpretation to determine win or draw. Paul Albert

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