0

I was playing a blitz game and the time control was 2m+1s. The end game was KQ vs KR and I (with KQ) lost on time as it took roughly 2 seconds for me to make a move. I would like to learn a lesson: in this endgame (KQ vs KR), can I force a draw if I am running out of time?

  • I can try three-fold repetition, but my opponent will not cooperate.
  • I can try exchanging, but my opponent will not block my check with their rook.
1
  • 2
    Why did it take you 2s?
    – xehpuk
    Jun 12, 2020 at 8:35

2 Answers 2

7

can I force a draw if I am running out of time?

Of course! Just swap the queen for the rook.

There are two basic possibilities.

  1. He keeps the king and rook very close (normal best practice when trying to draw this difficult endgame). In that case every time you threaten the rook with your queen he must move the rook and keep it close to the king. It should be easy to then skewer the king against the rook with a check or pin the rook against the king. This probably won't happen immediately but if you know what you are aiming for your opponent will find it very difficult to avoid for long, particularly since he also needs to avoid losing.
  2. He keeps the rook and king well separated. This is fatal. The rook quickly falls to a fork.
4

Moving your queen next to your king and moving your king in a diamond around your queen for up to 30 moves seems like it’d be decently fast and not need much thought if you’re really low on time. Every move up to and including the draw is as short as possible, distance-wise.

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.