The ICCF Laws of Correspondence Chess state:
"5.2.2 The game is drawn when a position has arisen in which neither player can checkmate the opponent’s king with any series of legal moves. The game is said to end in a "dead position". This immediately ends the game, provided that the move producing the position was in accordance with Articles 3 and 4."
The above has the corresponding FIDE rule:
"9.6 The game is drawn when a position is reached from which a checkmate cannot occur by any possible series of legal moves. This immediately ends the game, provided that the move producing this position was legal."
SITUATION
We have the following position:
[Site "ICCF"][Date "2023.11.09"][FEN "8/3B4/8/p5k1/P5P1/8/1b5p/7K w - - 0 1"]
Does the ICCF rule 5.2.2 apply here? Could any player claim a draw based on it?
DECISION
The player with the Black pieces claimed a draw. The TD accepted the claim, and the game ended in a draw.
ANALYSIS
In this position there are many possible legal moves that can lead to checkmate. Of course either side would need to play very poorly for this to happen. This means that it is not a "dead position" as specified in the ICCF rule 5.2.2. Similarly FIDE rule 9.6 would not apply either. The game should continue.
VERDICT
The TD made the wrong decision.
"5.2.2 The game is drawn when a position has arisen in which neither player can checkmate the opponent’s king with any series of legal moves. The game is said to end in a "dead position". This immediately ends the game, provided that the move producing the position was in accordance with Articles 3 and 4."
The above has the corresponding FIDE rule:
"9.6 The game is drawn when a position is reached from which a checkmate cannot occur by any possible series of legal moves. This immediately ends the game, provided that the move producing this position was legal."
SITUATION
We have the following position:
[Site "ICCF"][Date "2023.11.09"][FEN "8/3B4/8/p5k1/P5P1/8/1b5p/7K w - - 0 1"]
Does the ICCF rule 5.2.2 apply here? Could any player claim a draw based on it?
DECISION
The player with the Black pieces claimed a draw. The TD accepted the claim, and the game ended in a draw.
ANALYSIS
In this position there are many possible legal moves that can lead to checkmate. Of course either side would need to play very poorly for this to happen. This means that it is not a "dead position" as specified in the ICCF rule 5.2.2. Similarly FIDE rule 9.6 would not apply either. The game should continue.
VERDICT
The TD made the wrong decision.