What to do When Losing
By on 28 Jul 16 01:34
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In this blog, we’ll try to uncover ideas to use when we are losing. What can we do? We can try to make the game difficult for our opponent, rather than giving them the game. We can set problems for them, even if they are not objectively the best moves. And we can keep creating mating threats with the hope that they may stumble.
We must not resign needlessly, as below.
Also, we must try not to simply gift our opponents the win in chessical terms. White is in a bad position, below, but with a fundamental miscalculation makes the game a cakewalk for Black.
In the next game, White is faced with a worse position once more. He has a choice, below. He can try to expulse the Black rook from d2 with Be3, objectively the best move, and he has a chance of drawing. However, he does something different. He, (though his move is slightly dubious,) poses a problem for his opponent–sets a trap, and he is rewarded for it.
Finally, this is a game that I have recorded as being played against an apparently mononymous ‘Ben.’ I was not very good at keeping score, or playing chess, and neither was my opponent. I was Black.
Here, somehow, his knight took my rook. Neither of us saw it (and by “it,” that the move was obviously illegal.) But even with this sudden material loss, which I had not foreseen (understandably,) I remained persistent.
Here I must have missed a move out, or he simply made two moves in a row, somehow. I am also confused about how I messed this up so badly. But his bishop took my other rook. (His pieces must have had a predilection for taking my rooks on the sly.)
And that is that. I was confident that I’d win, and I brought whatever threat I believed I could conjure. I wish I could still summon that energy–even though I’m not very strong, I’ve become disillusioned with the hope that any of these things could still work. We should all try and fight that together. Try crazy things– unbalanced chess. Try and recall when you could sack half your pieces and win the game with a pawn or an opponent’s blunder. Because it can still happen. Don’t give up.
–HikaruShindo
(Discussion thread: Thread 169602. Next post next Thursday.)
We must not resign needlessly, as below.
copiryght–dermpa RHP 2010
Also, we must try not to simply gift our opponents the win in chessical terms. White is in a bad position, below, but with a fundamental miscalculation makes the game a cakewalk for Black.
perlenbacher–PSYCHOPET RHP 2011
In the next game, White is faced with a worse position once more. He has a choice, below. He can try to expulse the Black rook from d2 with Be3, objectively the best move, and he has a chance of drawing. However, he does something different. He, (though his move is slightly dubious,) poses a problem for his opponent–sets a trap, and he is rewarded for it.
jeisenm–Ruppster1 RHP 2008
Finally, this is a game that I have recorded as being played against an apparently mononymous ‘Ben.’ I was not very good at keeping score, or playing chess, and neither was my opponent. I was Black.
Ben–HikaruShindo OTB ?
This PGN could not be parsed.
- line 1: Unrecognised token 'OO'
- line 1: Unrecognised token 'B3'
- line 1: Unrecognised token 'OO'
- move 23 could not be played: Invalid PGN : Error converting move h6
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 {I choose the Two Knights Defense, my favored reply even now, which hopes to sacrifice material to attack early, despite its name.} 4. Ng5 {Now, 4. d3 is in favor, killing the game, but this is a more testing alternative, attempting to seize Black material, and obtain a won game in that manner.} d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 {So far, this has been mainline theory–Black loses a pawn, but opens lines.} 8. Qf3 {White pins the c-pawn against the rook.} Rb8 9. Bxc6+ {White seizes the offered pawn, which Black proffered to continue to develop.} Nxc6 10. Qxc6+ Bd7 11. Qc4 {This is a clever little move, forcing Black to disrupt his own development.} Qe7 12. OO h6 13. Nf3 Rb4 {I continue to attempt to activate my pieces, though at the expense of discombobulating myself.} 14. Qc7 e4 15. Re1 {Another pin, this time against the queen, prevents Black from taking the knight.} Qe6 16. B3 {This is a little misguided–faster development is required in so tactical a position, but Ben aims to fianchetto instead.} Bd6 17. Qxa7 OO 18. Nc3 Bf4 {This allows Ba3, skewering the rooks, but he finds an even better move. Can you find it? If not, there’s a reason.}
Here, somehow, his knight took my rook. Neither of us saw it (and by “it,” that the move was obviously illegal.) But even with this sudden material loss, which I had not foreseen (understandably,) I remained persistent.
Here I must have missed a move out, or he simply made two moves in a row, somehow. I am also confused about how I messed this up so badly. But his bishop took my other rook. (His pieces must have had a predilection for taking my rooks on the sly.)
And that is that. I was confident that I’d win, and I brought whatever threat I believed I could conjure. I wish I could still summon that energy–even though I’m not very strong, I’ve become disillusioned with the hope that any of these things could still work. We should all try and fight that together. Try crazy things– unbalanced chess. Try and recall when you could sack half your pieces and win the game with a pawn or an opponent’s blunder. Because it can still happen. Don’t give up.
–HikaruShindo
(Discussion thread: Thread 169602. Next post next Thursday.)
