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H. G. Muller wrote on Sun, Dec 3, 2023 07:59 PM UTC in reply to Kevin Pacey from 07:19 PM:On FICS (and in XBoard) this is the difference between the variants Giveaway and Suicide Chess. The first case you quote would not be for Giveaway but for Suicide. FICS also supports a third variant of this type: Losers Chess. There the checking rule applies, you win by being checkmated or bared, and stalemate is a draw.
I think the confusion in this article comes from the misconception that Losing Chess is a single variant. But it is not; it is a family, while Giveaway is a specific member of that family.
Note that being annihilated is a special case of stalemate: when you have no pieces you have no moves. Even in the case of Giveaway (your 3rd case) this means you have won, as no pieces will always be the lowest number of pieces. Rule options 1 and 3 are thus consistent; 2 is a strange exception, distinguishing some stalemates from others. In Losers Chess the primary goal is not stalemate but getting bared. Being checkmated is rare, and can usually not be forced.
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Not sure if this CV ought to be tagged for stalemating being a loss for player who delivers it - here's a section of the Rules Section of this Rules Page:
"There is some controversy about stalemate. It is an important question because the richness of Losing Chess stems from the possible endgames. The following three rules are the most popular.
1.Stalemate is a win for the stalemated player. (International rules) 2.Stalemate is a draw. (AISE rules) 3.Stalemate is a win for the player who has fewer pieces left. If both have the same number, the game is drawn. The type of pieces makes no difference. (FICS rules)"
Perhaps International rules on stalemate should be given precedence all the same, though!?