Can someone explain "Armageddon" chess mode?

White has 6 mins and must win the game and black has 4 mins and must not lose the game. No delay/increment.

Why would anyone pick black against an equal player? White can win on time by not even trying to win, by simply abusing the 2 min time odds.

I dont get why anyone would choose black??? We're talking 2500 level players... dont think a mate is really possible here unless white blunders. A draw "wins" the game for white if they can win on time. Black has to mate or force a draw without running out of time?

What am I missing?

The fact that black can also play for a draw. There are enough openings which are known for their drawing odds.

Black has to get an actual draw which is hard with time pressure. The only way this can happen is a stalemate, insufficient material, or a ninja 3-fold/perpetual under threat of mate. I mean, if your opponent has only 5 seconds left, why not just sack your queen or rook to avoid a 3-fold if it will take 2 seconds off their clock (or whatever) when you normally would not ever do that.

Whereas white only has to win on time, and with time odds against an evenly rated opponent would be pretty hard not to do.

I mean, I cant see a player giving up their 2:3 time advantage as white to pursue a mate in this circumstance, can you? That's not smart unless that mate is 100%. Why not just play solid and use your time advantage?

It really would seem like black is as a disadvantage. They would have to make up for the time advantage and manage to not lose the game at the same time. Only if black ever gets close in time will they have a chance at a legit draw.

Also keep in mind that there are also tournaments which use bidding in armageddon chess. GMs willinlgy sacrifice a lot of time in order to play as black.

Technically, it's actually 6 minutes for White and 5 minutes for Black. Or that's what I had once when in a chess tournament I got Armageddon...

Armageddon chess has a variety of time controls. For example:

http://www.chessdom.com/kamsky-wins-us-chess-championship-after-armageddon-game/

"The rules dictated that in case of a 1-1 tie, the playoff would end in an Armageddon match, where players bid for time and color. In sealed envelopes, Ramirez wrote the time 19:45, while Kamsky’s envelope read 20 minutes even. Ramirez thus got 19:45 to Kamsky’s 45 minutes, while Ramirez had black and draw odds."

I can see the point of it for long games and why it exists on the large scale, but with known times of 6m to 4m (there was no bidding) I cant see why someone would win the "toss" and choose black.

This particular example was from a Millionaire chess sattelite in 2014. Turns out, white (who won on time) couldnt go so he gave the free trip and $500 to black.

This is the ending position. White to move. White wins on time with 16 seconds and that sounds like it was close, but I dont think so. Feels like after white recaptures the queen black has a winning position? I could be wrong, but if this was a game with an increment or delay, I think black has some pretty good chances.

2500 is way out of my zip code but I think, IIRC, Anand and Nakamura played out a tournament final using similar parameters. At that level, with the extraordinary opening knowledge depth one possesses, I assume a draw can be more easily accomplished.

I agree under normal time controls, but with (basically) bullet, I dont think a draw is as likely an outcome. That's the point im trying to make.

If you look at the ending position I posted above, that looks very drawish under normal time control, however, with 30 seconds on each clock and no delay/increment, the winner (white with 17s left) is a clear winner.

Just look at the board.

If we set up that position, and put, say 30s on the clock with no delay/increment, how likely is it that black can win/draw there? Now, imagine that the time odds are coming into play here, and white has 30s, to blacks 20s (it started with a 2:3 ratio, Black 4/White 6) can black win/draw?

IMO there should have been an increment or delay so that black can make up for the time odds with solid moves towards the endgame where white cannot simply just move pieces and win on time.

2500 is way out of my zipcode as well, but I still cant see the reasoning behind choosing black after winning the toss with those time odds and lack of increment/delay.

Armageddon Mode is used in times of tie breaks. Which usually have players bidding on time for a color.

Usually they bid for the black color and the benefit is black will be considered the winner if they can get a draw or a win.

White only chance of winning is to win the game. An he has more time which he can use to try and help him win the game.

Judging from your post it seems like you might be talking about Berserk Mode.

Usually in Berserk mode 1 side has half the time of the opponent.

For example if one side starts with 6 mins and the opponent Berserks. He is than given half the time of his opponent. Which in this case his time goes to 3 mins.

One side would have 6 other side have 3.

This is sometimes used in Tournements to try and increase the points of the win.

For example: In a tournement if you beat someone they might give you lets say 1 or 2 points for winning. However, if you do Berserk mode you risk half your time in order to increase your winning chances to like 2-4 points instead.

Bascially you get double the points for risking half your time. Which can help you out preform others in a tourment.

I do not believe this mode can be done Over The Board though. I think this mode is more online stuff. The Armageddon mode does happen in times of ties Over The Board.

No. It was "Armageddon" tie break to choose the winner of a sattelite for a free entry to Millionaire Chess 2014.

White, 6 mins and must win. Black, 4 mins and must not lose. No delay/increment.

When you’re very high rated like super grandmasters, most games will end in draws and black will win. While it might be a disadvantage as a low rated player, it is more of an advantage as you get better and have a better time control.