OTB Blitz Ending - What is the right call?

At my most recent OTB blitz tournament (USCF), the following ending occured:

I (white) ran out of time after making my move (and before hitting my clock), and claimed insufficient material/mating chances after hitting the clock. My opponent then claimed a time forfeit, shortly thereafter running out of time. The arbiter ultimately sided with me, stating that Black did not have sufficient mating chances (iirc), adjudicating the game as a draw. Was this the right call (in accordance to USCF rules)?

FIDE and USCF have some different rules, but I believe black should have been awarded the win since he had mating material on the board when your clock ran out. Any series of legal moves that can produce a win should be accepted because nobody knows how you’d finish the game and you forfeited the right to continue playing by running out of time, not your opponent, therefore your opponent deserves the best result available from the present position- in this case a win.

If you ran out of time before hitting the clock, then you shouldn't have been able to make any claims?

iirc, USCF rules involve any legal sequence of moves leading to a checkmate on the flagged side. Since black only had a bishop (assuming the clock ran out after the move), it seems like it was the right call. But I'm no arbiter, so I could easily be way off base.

Here's a couple of relevant USCF rules that lead me to believe that the arbiter made the correct call:

9B: "In the case of a legal capture (7C), the move is determined with no possibility of change when the player has
deliberately touched both his or her own piece and the opponent’s piece (10C) and completed when that player
presses the clock (5H)."

13C6: "If a player who claims a time forfeit states the claim with claimant’s flag still up (5G), but then fails to stop the clock
in time to avoid also exceeding the time limit, the claim will be void, unless the flag fall was observed by a director
or independent witness."

14E: "The game is drawn even when a player exceeds the time limit if one of the following conditions exists as of the most
recently determined legal move."

14E2: "King and bishop or king and knight.
Opponent has only king and bishop or king and knight, and does not have a forced win."

16E: "The flag is considered to have fallen when either player points this out."

I just looked it up and found this summary:

"According to USCF rules, if a player runs out of time when the opponent has insufficient material, the game is ruled a draw.

According to FIDE rules, if a player runs out of time when the opponent has insufficient material, the game is ruled a loss as long as there exists a legal sequence of moves that leads to check mate." - marstran on stackexchange.

A determined move is not a completed move. If the opponent called flag prior to the OP pressing the clock the pawn is still on the board in play when the game ends and any claims against reasonable chances to win by black are invalid since he should have made it prior to his clock falling. If the opponent didn’t claim flag prior to the OP hitting his clock then the move is valid, the pawn is captured, and it’s a draw with nothing else to discuss.

This is where the USCF needs to abide by the FIDE rules which is more appropriate altogether. The person who lapsed on time before the game was completed prevents the opponent from trying to earn a win and therefore forfeits to any possible sequence of moves than lead to a win on the board if such exists. Rules should be given in a clear and straightforward manner so situations are more easily resolved.

 

Pretty sure the post two above yours (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/otb-blitz-ending-what-is-the-right-call?quote_id=61684339&page=1#comment-61683971) is correct and 14E2 would come into play. The move was determined when the flag fell and the possibility of a win by either side is excluded (white has no time and black doesn't have sufficient mating material)

 

The only question would be if there was any doubt if the flag fell before the move was determined or after, and apparently the TD decided it happened after, saw the sequence, or it was seen by an independent witness.

 

Also, if the opponent did not stop the clock and subsequently ran out of time as well, blitz rule 8c would come into play as well.

I get that. But the USCF needs to stop creating confusion with useless nitpicking and have a clear stance on their definitions and protocols. A “determined” move means it must be completed (you can’t change the move anymore) but it’s not a “completed” move until the clock has been pressed. It is wrong to use a “determined” move as a “completed” move for making scenario determinations as this. But according to the OP none of this matters as the best opponent didn’t call flag before he pressed his clock which validated the move anyways and therefore black has no checkmating material and a draw is correct as it was given. I just disagree with how the USCF handles their rules in cases like this, especially players who are competing at a USCF event that’s also FIDE rated. Just mirror the rules as FIDE and be done with it.

 

Under US Chess regulations, the poster above is correct. The move is determined once the piece is released on the square but not completed until the clock is pressed (rule 9A). The rule referenced in the post is correct for captures.

 

It's just the terminology used for the rules, thus, when other rules reference the terms, that will guide how a claim should be ruled.

 

That definitely is not correct. The rules are very clear on their terms and other rules use those terms within them. If you don't like it then suggest a rules change amendment. 

 

Regarding your comment on FIDE rated events, those have to follow FIDE regulations, so the US Chess rules are not considered.

Under FIDE rules this is clearly a win for Black since Black has still the option to mate with that bishop.

USCF might have their own private rules though that the rest of the world does not understand...

 

 

 

Correct. Under FIDE, mate only has to be possible by any series of legal moves. I'm not seeing how FIDE handles double flag fall situations in the main rules.

 

If you're asking about post 10, must isn't used in the rules.

9.  Determination and Completion of the Move

9A. Transfer to a vacant square.

In the case of the legal transfer of a piece to a vacant square, the move (7A, 7B, 7C) is determined with no possiblity of change when the player's hand has released the piece, and completed when the player presses the clock (5H)

Captures are explained above.