Prior to this position White had had two pieces for the rook, but Black had just captured a knight on c5 (with check) and the White King had moved into the corner. Nonetheless White is threatening mate on g7, with what both players assumed Qxg7. So I stopped to see what Black would do, and was astonished to see 1 ... R4a7. Certainly this prevents 2.Qxg7# but it isn't the only mate on the board. As players often don't realise they have made a mistake in calculating until the position actually appears on the board, I kept watching to see what Blacks reaction was going to be. However, being a good spectator I tried to keep a straight face, and resisted the urge to pull my camera out of my pocket for the "Oh my god!" shot.
In the meantime White hadn't moved, and I assumed he was just taking his time to straighten his scoresheet, check where to write 1-0 in the result box, and catch his breath before finishing the game. But the seconds ticked by, and still White hadn't made a move. "Surely he's not this sadistic" I thought to my self. Then suddenly Whites hand moved towards the board. Bypassing the Bishop on b2, he picked up the Queen and retreated it along the long White diagonal to safety.
Given that both players were blissfully unaware of the Mate in 1 until after the game was completed (Black won btw), I'm not sure it counts as a lucky escape for either side.
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