user10414: What happens if a player runs out of time before playing a forced move that would end in a draw? I suspect it is a loss, but it would be fair to be a draw.
7K/6P1/8/8/8/8/1k4p1/8 b - - 0 1

1... g1=Q 2. g8=Q Qxg8+

In the example above, White is to play and draw the game. But they run out of time before playing the forced move 3. Kxg8.
I was in this exact same situation, but I was able to play the move in the last second, drawing the game, so I got curious about what would happen if I didn't.

user657: This brings into the discussion the philosophical question of whether clock management is a legitimate part of tournament chess. If you think it is, then no, it wouldn't be fair to make it a draw if the flag falls before the move is made, because the player failed to manage their time properly. In essence, the player sacrificed time to achieve the potentially drawn position, and bemoaning the fact time ran out before it could be achieved is exactly the same as saying "It's not fair I should lose simply because I ran out of pawns!"
Alternatively, if time management is not a legitimate concern for tournament chess, then yes, it's unfair.
People who take the first position dislike both the delay and the incremental clock controls. People who take the latter position need to answer the question "Then why are the clocks there in the first place?" I'll let you decide which camp you're in. It's an imperfect world; there's no perfect answer to this problem.

user14079: Draw by dead position
Once Black plays 2...Qxg8 the game is a draw. At once, and whatever the clock situation. White doesn't even have to play 3.Kxg8 - it is irrelevant, but actually s/he shouldn't do it because the game is already over.
Indeed, article 5.2.2 of Fide Chess Rules says:

The game is drawn when a position has arisen in which neither player can checkmate the opponent’s king with any series of legal moves. The game is said to end in a ‘dead position’. This immediately ends the game, provided that the move producing the position was in accordance with Article 3 and Articles 4.2 – 4.7.

This is absolutely the case here : no sequence of legal moves can lead to checkmate for either player after 2...Qxg8.
Admittedly, if you play chess online, this rule is not implemented on most platforms, so you would have to play 3.Kxg8, or you may even receive an undeserved loss if you get flagged before you manage to play it. Under Fide Rules however, the game is drawn.

user4418: In the final position where white's only legal move is Kxg8 leaving bare kings the position is a draw if white's flag falls before playing the move. The FIDE Laws of Chess are quite explicit:

6.9 Except where one of Articles 5.1.1, 5.1.2, 5.2.1, 5.2.2, 5.2.3 applies, if a player does not complete the prescribed number of moves in the allotted time, the game is lost by that player. However, the game is drawn if the position is such that the opponent cannot checkmate the player’s king by any possible series of legal moves.


10414: <p>What happens if a player runs out of time <strong>before</strong> playing a forced move that would end in a draw? I suspect it is a loss, but it would be fair to be a draw.</p>
<pre><code>7K/6P1/8/8/8/8/1k4p1/8 b - - 0 1

1... g1=Q 2. g8=Q Qxg8+
</code></pre>
<p>In the example above, White is to play and draw the game. But they run out of time before playing the forced move 3. Kxg8.</p>
<p>I was in this exact same situation, but I was able to play the move in the last second, drawing the game, so I got curious about what would happen if I didn't.</p>
 657: <p>This brings into the discussion the philosophical question of whether clock management is a legitimate part of tournament chess. If you think it is, then no, it wouldn't be fair to make it a draw if the flag falls before the move is made, because the player failed to manage their time properly. In essence, the player sacrificed time to achieve the potentially drawn position, and bemoaning the fact time ran out before it could be achieved is exactly the same as saying &quot;It's not fair I should lose simply because I ran out of pawns!&quot;</p>
<p>Alternatively, if time management is not a legitimate concern for tournament chess, then yes, it's unfair.</p>
<p>People who take the first position dislike both the delay and the incremental clock controls. People who take the latter position need to answer the question &quot;Then why are the clocks there in the first place?&quot; I'll let you decide which camp you're in. It's an imperfect world; there's no perfect answer to this problem.</p>
 14079: <p><strong>Draw by dead position</strong></p>
<p>Once Black plays 2...Qxg8 the game is a draw. At once, and whatever the clock situation. White doesn't even have to play 3.Kxg8 - it is irrelevant, but actually s/he shouldn't do it because the game is already over.</p>
<p>Indeed, article 5.2.2 of <a href="https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/E012018" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Fide Chess Rules</a> says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The game is drawn when a position has arisen in which neither player can checkmate the opponent’s king with any series of legal moves. The game is said to end in a ‘dead position’. This immediately ends the game, provided that the move producing the position was in accordance with Article 3 and Articles 4.2 – 4.7.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This is absolutely the case here : no sequence of legal moves can lead to checkmate for either player after 2...Qxg8.</p>
<p>Admittedly, if you play <strong>chess online</strong>, this rule is not implemented on most platforms, so you would have to play 3.Kxg8, or you may even receive an undeserved loss if you get flagged before you manage to play it. Under Fide Rules however, the game is drawn.</p>
 4418: <p>In the final position where white's only legal move is Kxg8 leaving bare kings the position is a draw if white's flag falls before playing the move. The <a href="https://old.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=208&amp;view=article" rel="noreferrer">FIDE Laws of Chess</a> are quite explicit:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>6.9 Except where one of Articles 5.1.1, 5.1.2, 5.2.1, 5.2.2, 5.2.3 applies, if a player does not complete the prescribed number of moves in the allotted time, the game is lost by that player. <strong>However, the game is drawn if the position is such that the opponent cannot checkmate the player’s king by any possible series of legal moves.</strong></p>
</blockquote>
