Accept draw in lost position?

I've been offered a draw in a match though I'm in a lost position (we've been chatting, etc. and in no particular hurry to end the game). The draw offer was a friendly gesture by my opponent, as a draw is enough to put him through to next round in the tourney.

I feel silly accepting the draw, but I hate turning down a nice gesture from anyone. (I wouldn't turn down a beer at the pub...) My opponent insists he doesn't mind one way or another.

The thing is, if I accept the draw, then I'm through to the next round too. What's worse etiquette: turning down a generous draw offer, or accepting it just to get to the next round?

If you explain why you turn down the offer, then it is not bad etiquette. Besides it is an offer anyway, no one can force you to except. If your opponent is offended (he won't, I'm sure) then that is his problem. Do what makes you feel good.

Originally posted by Traveling Again
I've been offered a draw in a match though I'm in a lost position (we've been chatting, etc. and in no particular hurry to end the game). The draw offer was a friendly gesture by my opponent, as a draw is enough to put him through to next round in the tourney.

I feel silly accepting the draw, but I hate turning down a nice gesture from anyone. (I ...[text shortened]... uette: turning down a generous draw offer, or accepting it just to get to the next round?

I think it it perfectly acceptable to accept a draw in this situation. You are obtaining what you think is the best available outcome for THIS game.

I hope you are not seeking advice while a game is in progress.

Originally posted by Traveling Again
I've been offered a draw in a match though I'm in a lost position (we've been chatting, etc. and in no particular hurry to end the game). The draw offer was a friendly gesture by my opponent, as a draw is enough to put him through to next round in the tourney.

I feel silly accepting the draw, but I hate turning down a nice gesture from anyone. (I ...[text shortened]... uette: turning down a generous draw offer, or accepting it just to get to the next round?

If you're in a lost position, resign. His offering a draw so you could both advance because he likes you is unsporting and unfair to the other players IMO. Bobby Fischer would NOT have approved.

what is it about chess for you?

checkmate? winning? advancing a rating? fame for winning a tourney? playing to the best of your capabilities and let the moves count only? learning from your opponent and interacting with him?

you should know what you play it for. if you can point out one of the above questions as your main reason, you know, what you should do.

such an offer - which allows him to advance and you as well - is coming from the interaction you two had. he likes you, for the style of your play and your communication. if you accept it, you accept to cheat other players who go ba pure move-rules only - because your moves made you loose, but your words made you advance.

chess is more then just the moves being made. behind almost every game is a more or less exciting tale of two individuals, trying to cope with the pressure of the game. it is solely your decision, whether you accept a draw or not. a draw is a draw. covered by the rules. you have to live with it, nobody will notice.

i read on this forum someone citing an otb story. some player asked the other, which chess book he liked. hoping, he will pull out the book to show. by this loosing the game (reference cheating). how outrageous. how unfair. what a trap.

but then again... it is chess. part of the rules. everyone may pull this trick.

but whoever pulls such a trick has to live with it. win the tourney and that drawn position will come back to you. always.

(even if all other players do the same kind of chatting and getting draws offered - you should ask yourself, what you are comfortable with)

accept and dont post a thread about it IMO.

Originally posted by Traveling Again
I've been offered a draw in a match though I'm in a lost position (we've been chatting, etc. and in no particular hurry to end the game). The draw offer was a friendly gesture by my opponent, as a draw is enough to put him through to next round in the tourney.

I feel silly accepting the draw, but I hate turning down a nice gesture from anyone. (I ...[text shortened]... uette: turning down a generous draw offer, or accepting it just to get to the next round?

(1) The first option I think is to decline the draw offer and to resign, thanking him for the draw offer and the chatting, and that you thought he deserved the win.

(2) The second option is to accept the draw, which is good.

I think either option is fine.

Originally posted by Traveling Again
I've been offered a draw in a match though I'm in a lost position (we've been chatting, etc. and in no particular hurry to end the game). The draw offer was a friendly gesture by my opponent, as a draw is enough to put him through to next round in the tourney.

I feel silly accepting the draw, but I hate turning down a nice gesture from anyone. (I ...[text shortened]... uette: turning down a generous draw offer, or accepting it just to get to the next round?

Decline the draw and try to salvage the lost position, or resign.

It is clear your opponent is trying to do you a favour, which, admirable as it is, is ill-founded and, as our fellow players have already stated, unfair to the remaining tournament players.

Personally, I'd thank him for the gesture and resign; there are plenty of other tournaments.

Originally posted by Traveling Again
I've been offered a draw in a match though I'm in a lost position (we've been chatting, etc. and in no particular hurry to end the game). The draw offer was a friendly gesture by my opponent, as a draw is enough to put him through to next round in the tourney.

I feel silly accepting the draw, but I hate turning down a nice gesture from anyone. (I ...[text shortened]... uette: turning down a generous draw offer, or accepting it just to get to the next round?

if by taking the draw does it stop any other player from making the next round? if it does then resign if it only affects you and your opponent then take the draw. this will speed up the tounament, what your opponent wants.

Originally posted by Traveling Again
I've been offered a draw in a match though I'm in a lost position (we've been chatting, etc. and in no particular hurry to end the game). The draw offer was a friendly gesture by my opponent, as a draw is enough to put him through to next round in the tourney.

I feel silly accepting the draw, but I hate turning down a nice gesture from anyone. (I ...[text shortened]... uette: turning down a generous draw offer, or accepting it just to get to the next round?

You are so far behind in the game that resignation seemed your only option.

Now, you have been thrown a lifeline. Why? Only your opponent truly knows.

Why they do not want to play the game to a conclusion and obtain the win is beyond me.

I know I would not want a player to advance, to what looks like being the final round, when I could knock them out, especially as you have already beaten them.

Personally, I would take the draw offer and advance.

If the player had timed out would you have taken the timeout win and advanced on your own? No difference between that and taking the draw when offered IMO.

Thanks for the input. I am now trying to convince my opponent that if he truly wanted to make a friendly gesture (in other words, if we were true BFFs), then he'd resign his won position. 🙂

Originally posted by adramforall

[b]If the player had timed out would you have taken the timeout win and advanced on your own? No difference between that and taking the draw when offered IMO. [/b]

Hallo,

I disagree on that. Personally it makes a difference to me. The agreed timing is for me the frame of the game and as in the extreme case of a blizz game (say 10 min per person), it is essential, how you got to that superior position. If you needed 9:59, then it was not good enough...

I can not see the game, but if a position is really hopeless (as it sounds), and a draw is offered, something is fishy (in my eyes). Do you think that the stronger player only gives you the draw, because of friendship? Maybe he just gives it to you, knowing there will be a player he can easily beat in the next round...

So he is not so super-selfless. And also you are of course not self-less, even though you say, you dont want to be impolite turning down an offer. It wouldn't be impolite, it would show certain character. This is not a beer he gives you, he kicks out another player from the next round for you.

The bottom line is, that you both gain an advantage by diplomacy. The future success in your tournament will from then on be both: based on your chess-skills and your "diplomacy" skills.

I personally find this kind of "diplomacy" unfair to others. I wouldnt be happy about a tournament-round advancement, which I managed due to the mercy of another...

Originally posted by tharkesh
Hallo,

I disagree on that. Personally it makes a difference to me. The agreed timing is for me the frame of the game and as in the extreme case of a blizz game (say 10 min per person), it is essential, how you got to that superior position. If you needed 9:59, then it was not good enough...

I can not see the game, but if a position is really hopeless ...[text shortened]... happy about a tournament-round advancement, which I managed due to the mercy of another...

The players have played two games, with one being finished in Traveling's favour.

Both players are rated at around the same level.

At present Traveling is getting beaten in the other match.

The other players in the round cannot progress. Traveling and his opponent are on equal points.

If Traveling accepts the draw then both he and his opponent will progress to the final round.

If the opponent plays out the game and wins then he will progress and Traveling is eliminated.

If the opponent plays out the game and loses due to a series of blunders/timeout then Traveling will progress to the final and the opponent will be eliminated.

The opponent has therefore decided that to guarantee he advanced to the final that as he only needs a draw then he is willing to accept a draw, even though it takes through an opponent who has already beaten him.

You will see on many occasions players offering draws on the basis that they are guaranteed to progress. By getting rid of games as draws they can concentrate better on their other games.

Originally posted by adramforall
The players have played two games, with one being finished in Traveling's favour.

Both players are rated at around the same level.

At present Traveling is getting beaten in the other match.

The other players in the round cannot progress. Traveling and his opponent are on equal points.

If Traveling accepts the draw then both he and his oppone ...[text shortened]... o progress. By getting rid of games as draws they can concentrate better on their other games.

Ok, in that case I even might offer a draw myself - and accept it most likely, too... thanks for finding out these details and telling them matter-of-factly 🙂