Abusive Opponents

I've seen a few stories in threads from players who've had some strange experiences OTB (feel free to share some more here if you have some), and I had one last Sunday which I'd like to share.

It was the last round of the Bristol League Congress; a 5 round event over the course of a weekend, and all in all it was a very fun event. Some of the strong players were kind enough to give me some pearls of wisdom, and generally the feel of the occasion was quite amicable. In attendance was James Sherwin (of Fischer's 1st memorable game).

Anyway, back to my last game. I was on 2.5 pts (in the under 125 BCF) with 1 win and 3 draws and was quite of title contention and as an ungraded not in the running for any grading prize, much like my opponent. Earlier in the tournament this guy flew into a rage at the end of a game claiming his opponent had put him off during the game, but that's a whole different story.

I was white and attacked aggressively in a 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 line in the Najdorf and in no time at all we found ourselves in an opposite bishops ending. Seeing this, I tentatively asked, "Would you care for a draw?" and calmly waited for a reply. My opponent, seeing that I was looking at him, snapped "I'm thinking!". Fair enough. He declined the offer and presumably wanted to check that I knew how not to lose it (I'd rather be in his position too). 30 moves later we arrived at this position.



Having read opinions on this in the forums before, I was somewhat hesitant about offering a draw again, but since the position had calmed to shuffling and many moves had passed, I asked, "Are you sure about that draw?". His reply was "F*** off! Stop getting so uptight!". People looked round. The arbiter came over and asked him to calm down. More moves were played; his king stayed near my bishop and I shuffled my king, his king came over to mine and I shuffled my bishop. People in the open came for a chuckle at the fiasco that was carrying on.

My flag looked like it was nearly falling, but I had an extra hour after that which the arbiter kindly pointed out after he threatened to play to time me out. (I asked if I could claim a draw there, but I was told I could only do that when I really did only have 2 minutes left). I played a move, maybe a king move or a bishop move, I forget and pressed my clock. He got a book out! Then he went for a little wander! Around move 80 he did finally agree to a draw, but refused the handshake and with another kindly f-word went on his merry way.

Anyway, if you read all that, thanks for letting me vent! 🙂

the lout deserved a thrashing with a six-day old cod

next tourney you may choose to bring one along !

very funny!

I think he should have been disqualified for repeated use of abusive language. In any case, he clearly consulted a book, and that itself is cause for the arbiter to forfeit the game in your favour.

There are guys like this in every congress in every country.

I've seen worse.

Forget it. And do not let it affect you should you meet again

Originally posted by greenpawn34
There are guys like this in every congress in every country.

I've seen worse.

Forget it. And do not let it affect you should you meet again

pawn dude, they should be taken outside, tied to a stake, publicly whipped with a copy of the encyclopedia of chess openings and made to read Silmans, 'amateurs mind', ah the horror!. is there not a rule or a law which bars this type of behavior? does it not bring the game into ill repute? what about that dude who was chastised because he would not shake Nigel shorts hand, prior to the match? did Fide not make him forfeit the game because of a simple recommendation as a consequence of his uncivil act? there should be a law, not a recommendation against ungentlemanly conduct and unladylike like behavior! i wish he was playing streetfighter, hed have got his goolies handed to him, goolie to queen four anyone!

I have a couple of interesting stories I'd like to share

In one game, when I was a much weaker player (about 1100 USCF), I was playing my opponent as black in a G/150 game (he was about 1250 USCF) I finally made a rook sacrifice ( I was up a piece at this point), and after he accepted it, it was clear he was going to get mated, or lose his Queen and be in a terrible position. It was his move, and he just sat there for 30 minutes. He then got up and start watching other games while his clock was running! I was getting kind of annoyed, so I went and stood right next to him as he watched another game. He became a little uncomfortable, so he came back to the board, thought for 10 more minutes, then resigned. He had an hour left on his clock, and he said, "I didn't want to be rude and wait until my time ran out."

Another story; Once, I was playing a game in 10 tournament, and I was rated about 1600 quick, and my opponent was about 1500. He finally lost on time in an easily winning position (up two pawns with a powerful passed pawn). After I pointed out that he had run out of time, he said "I would like to claim insufficient losing chances." I then informed him that insufficient losing chances must be claimed before one runs out of time. He got steaming mad after that, and went to the tournament director; after the TD had reiterated what I had said, he got so mad at the TD that he scowled at him, gave me a dirty look, then walked out the door.

In a very recent tournament (one and half weeks ago, actually), I was playing an opponent who had no USCF rating but was 1700 FIDE. It was a sharp position, with both of us wildly attacking (my King ended up on e5!), and he made a mistake, and now I had a very obvious forced mate in 5. He had 1 hour and 10 minutes on his clock at this point, and over the next 5 moves (all forced!) he spent an hour deciding his moves! Some of my friends came by and were chuckling as he spent 15 minutes moving his King out of check to the only legal square it go to, and then doing the same thing after I checked him again. When I finally won, he had 7 minutes left.

Against all forms of violence I'm afraid.

All chess players are odd, wierd, strange, beautiful people.

A controller with some balls should have stepped in and warned him
about ungentleman like conduct, not trying to win game etc. etc.

But my main point was if you meet this chappie again do not
let what went on before affect you. Play chess.

Originally posted by Meadows
I've seen a few stories in threads from players who've had some strange experiences OTB (feel free to share some more here if you have some), and I had one last Sunday which I'd like to share.

It was the last round of the Bristol League Congress; a 5 round event over the course of a weekend, and all in all it was a very fun event. Some of the strong play ...[text shortened]... on his merry way.

Anyway, if you read all that, thanks for letting me vent! 🙂

I would have reported him to the arbiter for daring to crack a book during the game. Why not use the full force of the rules on the guy if he decides to be an ass?

Originally posted by Meadows
I've seen a few stories in threads from players who've had some strange experiences OTB (feel free to share some more here if you have some), and I had one last Sunday which I'd like to share.

It was the last round of the Bristol League Congress; a 5 round event over the course of a weekend, and all in all it was a very fun event. Some of the strong play ...[text shortened]... on his merry way.

Anyway, if you read all that, thanks for letting me vent! 🙂

I would've punched him in the face and flushed his head down the toilet to teach him some manners. I have zero tolerance for rudeness.

Originally posted by Meadows
I've seen a few stories in threads from players who've had some strange experiences OTB (feel free to share some more here if you have some), and I had one last Sunday which I'd like to share.

It was the last round of the Bristol League Congress; a 5 round event over the course of a weekend, and all in all it was a very fun event. Some of the strong play ...[text shortened]... on his merry way.

Anyway, if you read all that, thanks for letting me vent! 🙂

You should have thrown the book at him.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Against all forms of violence I'm afraid.

All chess players are odd, wierd, strange, beautiful people.

A controller with some balls should have stepped in and warned him
about ungentleman like conduct, not trying to win game etc. etc.

But my main point was if you meet this chappie again do not
let what went on before affect you. Play chess.

tut, i forgot you was a hippie!

Originally posted by Proper Knob
I would've punched him in the face and flushed his head down the toilet to teach him some manners. I have zero tolerance for rudeness.

Oh dear Oh dear Oh dear.

Mr Knob, you cannot go around punching and flushing people's
heads down toilets. You will end up in the clink and he will get
£3,000 compensation.

The correct course would have been to ask him if he wanted a
cup ot tea and a biscuit whilst he was reading.

or

Simply pick up your clock, spin on the 58 minutes and claim a draw.

You can do this 'cos I've done it in front of a contoller when my
opponent, through no fault of his own, arrived 30 minutes late.
I wound on 30 minutes and said "Let's play chess."
(Me v Connor Woods, Edinburgh 2006 - I flucked a win).

I would have waited until he went to the toilet (or somewhere else away from public view) and battered him silly. Sorry if this offends some of you, but I'm for certain acts of violence, particularly against extremely ignorant and offensive people.