The Armageddon video from Nalchik

Here's the controversial Armageddon Video in a match between Monika Socko (white) and Sabina-Francesca Foisor (black) at the ongoing 2008 World Womens Chess Championship. In the Armageddon game between IM Socko and WGM Foisor, White (Socko) has 6 minutes to Black (Foisor) 5 minutes. However, Black has draw odd.

Black ran out of time but the position on the board was K and N versus K and N which obviously is a clear draw. The arbiter ruled that it was a draw. This means that Foisor moves on to the 2nd round. However, the other side made an official protest. It is now in the hands of the Appeals Committee. But for starters, here's the final decision released by the organizing comitee:

Appeals Committee on the Socko - Foisor case
World Women Chess Championship 2008

The Appeals Committee met today 31.08.2008 at 20.00 hrs to examine a protest made by the player Ms Monika Socko regarding her game with Sabina-Francesca Foisor.

The complainant fulfilled the conditions concerning the $ 500 deposit

The protest has been examined under the provision of Article 3.17, par. 3.17.1, point a) and d) of the Regulations for the Women's World Chess Championship.

The protest related to the sudden death game between Ms Monika Socko (white) and Ms Sabina-Francesca Foisor (black) where, in the final position, both players had a king and a knight each.

The flag of black fell indicating that the game was lost on time.

However the Chief Arbiter decided that the game was drawn based on Article 9.6 of the Laws of Chess. The Chief Arbiter indicated that in order to achieve a position where white threatens to mate black in the next move, needs that black intentionally places his king and knight so that white can mate in the next move (White: Kc7,Nb6 - Black: Ka8,Na7).

Article 9.6 states that, quote "The game is drawn when a position is reached from which a checkmate cannot occur by any possible series of legal moves, even with the most unskilled play. This immediately ends the game, provided that the move producing this position is legal."

In her protest, Ms Monika Socko contended that she had won the game based on the fact that the flag of her opponent had fallen.

Having considered the arguments presented by the player in her protest and the decision of the Chief Arbiter, the Appeals Committee has decided that indeed based on the provisions of Article 9.6, playing in a most unskilled manner can result in the position indicated by the Chief Arbiter which can lead to a checkmate.

Therefore, the Appeals Committee has decided that the game is a win for white.

Georgios Makropoulos, Chairman
Lewis Ncube, member
Lakhdar Mazouz, member

More details at the official tournament media partner chessdom.com

And here's the video