[Retros] Mate with a 3-fold repetition

[Noam Elkies]

> Imagine a position like 5bk1/4p1p1/4P1P1/1p1p4/1P1P4/K7/8/8//



> Surprisingly, the positions with W Ke5 and B Kg8 and B Kg8

> have both occurred twice before.  Black loses on time trying to find

> his only legal move.  The only way White can win leads to 3-fold

> repetition.  Is it fair that Black should lose?


Presumably you mean both B Kg8 and B Kh8.  Two pawns can be saved
by removing the d4/d5 pawns and moving b4/b5 up to b5/b6 (wK must
go through c6 to win).


> And is it fair that one can lose on time with only one legal move!?


At least if one gets an extra few seconds on the clock each turn then 
one should be able to manage it...

See you in Rhodes,
--NDE