Playing on in the lower ranks is not always just about "not knowing when to resign" but can also be about simply being optimistic or (for some) simply hoping for a blunder or two. When playing against low rated players (such as I) blunders can still happen often and allow a draw by stalemate (I have done this when making quick moves at work 😳 ) or even a comeback, even when a queen or more down.
Sometimes lower rated player can be too optimistic for sure but how do anyone know for certain that a game is lost (excluding forced mates)? This is something which all players learn with experience but you need to let them learn this for themselves.
Personally I never play on just "hoping" for my opponent to make a blunder but I do play on when I can see a slim chance of getting back into the game by using my knowledge and (limited) skills. Sometimes I still win and sometimes i don't, resigning just for being behind would mean that i would never have won any of them.
I once resigned a game by tipping over the table and storming out of the room. It wasn't the proudest moment of my life, but in my defence I did go back five minutes later and apologise.
I've played against many opponents who have blundered the end game and reveresed a seemingly bad situation for me. However, this usually happens to players who are actually worse than me. If I know an opponent knows how to finish an end game properly, then I'll resign without question. If I see that he's fumbled his chances in previous games, then I'll stick on until he actually mates.
Originally posted by Ramned totally lost is when your opponent has it to where he's got a forced mate (he keeps checking your king into forced positions, then mate)
Otherwise, you are not totally lost, you can still draw.
Sure, that definition works for 1400-ish players. At the 2000 level, they'll probably define 'totally lost' as being down a piece without compensation. It all depends on the strength of the players. Obviously, the higher up you go, the less advantage that is needed to win.
Originally posted by Armagoden I am not sure many newcomers or novices know how to resign a game. Now I know it's nice to play it out to the end sometimes, but when all is totally lost come on already resign and get on to a new game.
Be a gentleman congratulate your opponent and gracefully resign. Its easy just type a message like: Great game enjoy it, congrats.
and then press the ...[text shortened]... always nice to start a new game and forget the old one you just lost. More on as they say. LOL
I was playing this game and my opponent was rated over 1800 at the time, my average rating is about 1400 (a novice). According to you I should have resigned on move 17 when it was impossible to prevent the mate in 1. Somehow though my opponent blundered the game away. The ratings difference gave me a 1 in 16 chance of victory at the start so by your logic the pgn should have looked like this -
Sometimes a polite word to your opponent and they will resign, other times they become indignant and draw the game out. As a subsciber it usually doesn't bother me. However a 1500 and I were playing out a rook + king vrs. rook (we each had two pawns that were locked up and ignored) recently. I asked him why he continued to play, he agreed it was silly and resigned (I had pushed him to the edge of the board and was 4 moves from mate).
Another time, I was up a knight which I sacced for a pawn and stated that I could queen one of my two pawns without moving my king (he was a 1200 and I thought it was a neat endgame to know). He came back with "In other words, resign please." which he promptly did...
Anyway, my whole point is to either try talking to the "offenders", or just start another game while you wait for that one to finish.
How to Resign with honor
08 Jan '07 23:44
Back to Top