@OP: Even in situations where you would have K+B or K+N against multiple opponent's pieces, where checkmating your opponent would literally be possible if he "helped" you (i.e., by any sequence of legal moves), this would still be ruled a draw upon running out of time, because such a victory would be extremely impractical to expect.
Game drawn on time?
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Aug 22, 2011
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#3
Ron, you are not technically correct when you say that he could not have checkmated him. If he promoted a pawn to an opposite bishop or a knight then it would have been feasable. However, for chess.com purposes, you will win only if you have enough material to mate with worst play from your opponent if the board were otherwise empty. In other words, regardless of what pieces your opponent has, you need:
- A Queen, Rook, or Pawn
- Two bishops of opposite color
- A bishop and a knight
OR
- Two knights
otherwise your opponent flagging = a draw. As for official rules, the USCF rules would favor a draw there, while FIDE rules would have been a win for you.
- CW
Just played a game of live chess, was down to a bishop and my king, he had a rook and a few pawns and was running for promotion when time expired on him. It gave me a draw based on insufficient material. Is this the rule, that one cannot win on time if he has insufficient material? If so, this is certainly news to me, and I would have tried harder to save my pawn rather than to avoid mate and win on time.