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Never give up- an example

Never give up- an example

Only Chess

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This is a game I just finished, and the result amazed me. I was outplayed and messed up the opening, ending up with two pieces for my lost queen. I mentally resigned myself to a lost position, and decided to keep playing until I was squeezed and had no play left.

Because I was clearly worse, I did not spend much time on the game, and generally tried to put my pieces on good squares, make small threats, and get my rooks as active as possible without dropping any more material.

I had gotten my pieces to (probably) their best possible squares, and I thought I might have some cheapo draw by repetition possibilities, when my opponent resigns! He saw a mate or big material loss, but I hadn't even looked hard enough at it to know.

The sad part is that if he had offered me a draw, I would have accepted immediately and patted myself on the back for a defense well done😞

I think it's a good example of why we should play as long as there is activity- you just never know!

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1.d4g6
2.e4c5
3.d5d6
4.c4Ng8f6
5.Nb1c3Bf8g7
6.Bf1d3O-O
7.h3Nb8d7
8.Ng1f3Nf6h5
9.g4Nh5f6
10.Bc1f4a6
11.Qd1d2Qd8a5
12.a4b5
13.cxb5axb5
14.Nc3xb5Nd7b6
15.Nb5c3Bc8b7
16.O-OBb7a6
17.Qd2c2Ba6xd3
18.Qc2xd3Qa5b4
19.Bf4d2Nb6c4
20.Nc3a2Nc4xd2
21.Na2xb4Nd2xf3
22.Qd3xf3cxb4
23.b3Nf6d7
24.Ra1b1Rf8c8
25.Qf3e2Rc8c3
26.Qe2b5Nd7e5
27.Qb5xb4Ra8c8
28.Kg1g2Ne5d3
29.Qb4b5Nd3f4
30.Kg2h1Bg7e5
31.f3Rc3c2
32.Rb1e1Rc2b2

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      Just off hand doubling rooks on the 2nd looks good, except it gives up the back rank for annoying Queen checks, perhaps Nxh3 and Rh2# were feared.

      No one ever won a game by resigning

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      I feel stupid asking this, but...

      Can anyone explain why white resigned the position?

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      I kinda think that if black doubles his pleasure {along the seventh rank} he will checkmate white.

      White cannot prevent this via Rc1 since black could trade a rook then take on h3 threatening ...Rh2mate.

      So white could also try Rb1 but I assume ...Ra2 would be a good response to that.

      So it seems like black maybe should have played ...Ra2 instead of ...Rb2.

      White I assume is losing but I would play on simply because black didn`t play ...Ra2

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      Originally posted by National Master Dale
      I kinda think that if black doubles his pleasure {along the seventh rank} he will checkmate white.

      White cannot prevent this via Rc1 since black could trade a rook then take on h3 threatening ...Rh2mate.

      So white could also try Rb1 but I assume ...Ra2 would be a good response to that.

      So it seems like black maybe should have played ...R ...[text shortened]... ...Rb2.

      White I assume is losing but I would play on simply because black didn`t play ...Ra2
      I think Rb2 is just as good as Ra2. Here is one variation I made after your 1.Rb1:

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      1.Rb1Rh2
      2.Kxh2Rc2
      3.Kh1Nxh3
      4.Qe8Kg7
      5.Rf2Rxf2
      6.Qb5Rh2

      +5


      If 3.Kg3, then it has a nice finish:

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      1.Rb1Rh2
      2.Kxh2Rc2
      3.Kg3Rg2
      4.Kh4Bf6
      5.g5Bxg5

      +5


      My conclusion is that white did well to resign, there is not much he can do to prevent the doubling of the rooks, and the mate.
      I think white became complacent when he won the queen. One move I really didn't understand was 24.Rab1, why not just move the rook to c1 and prevent this whole attack? He should just have stayed cool, improved his pieces, trade of if possible, and then show the power of his material.

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      There is a fine balance between resigning too early and giving your opponent some respect. In this game I felt Paul was playing well, had got into a winning position and deserved the win and, even though there were still may variations, I didn't see any that were good for white. My decision was also probably (wrongly) influenced by work as I was having to try and do two things at once which is never a good idea (not for me anyway!)

      Someone suggested why I played Rb1 - perhaps a mistake, but I was concerned about the attack on my b3 pawn and resulting pressure of losing it, particulaly when Black can position his knight on c5.

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      Originally posted by Palo77
      There is a fine balance between resigning too early and giving your opponent some respect. In this game I felt Paul was playing well, had got into a winning position and deserved the win and, even though there were still may variations, I didn't see any that were good for white. My decision was also probably (wrongly) influenced by work as I was having to tr ...[text shortened]... pawn and resulting pressure of losing it, particulaly when Black can position his knight on c5.
      Hi, palo77 thanks for joining the discussion.
      There is nothing wrong with resigning when in a losing position. I agree there was nothing white could do to prevent your opponent's chances - shame he didn't notice it himself! Good game, and thanks for sharing. Rb1 was in my opinion the turning mistake, but no need to crucify yourself on that one, your opponent did very well to use the opportunity.

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      Originally posted by orion25
      I think Rb2 is just as good as Ra2. Here is one variation I made after your 1.Rb1:

      [pgn]
      [Event "?"]
      [Site "?"]
      [Date "????.??.??"]
      [Round "?"]
      [White "?"]
      [Black "?"]
      [Result "*"]
      [SetUp "1"]
      [FEN "2r3k1/4pp1p/3p2p1/1Q1Pb3/P3PnP1/1P3P1P/1r6/4RR1K w - - 0 1"]

      1. Rb1 Rh2+ 2. Kxh2 Rc2+ 3. Kh1 3... Nxh3 4. Qe8+ Kg7 5. Rf2 Rxf2 6. Qb5 Rh2# *[/pgn] ...[text shortened]... de of if possible, and then show the power of his material.
      After 1. Rb1 Rh2+ 2. Kxh2 Rc2+ 3. Kh1 Nxh3 (as in your first diagram) white can cut off blacks bishop with his pawn to f4. What will black do then? White is superiour in material and can with no problems protect his pawn with the life of a rook against the bishop.

      I bet a penny on white.

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      Originally posted by Ice Cold
      Just off hand doubling rooks on the 2nd looks good, except it gives up the back rank for annoying Queen checks, perhaps Nxh3 and Rh2# were feared.

      No one ever won a game by resigning
      That is exactly why my opponent said he resigned.

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      Originally posted by Palo77
      There is a fine balance between resigning too early and giving your opponent some respect. In this game I felt Paul was playing well, had got into a winning position and deserved the win and, even though there were still may variations, I didn't see any that were good for white. My decision was also probably (wrongly) influenced by work as I was having to tr ...[text shortened]... pawn and resulting pressure of losing it, particulaly when Black can position his knight on c5.
      I think the fact that I would have <insert chuckle> gladly accepted a draw shows that we both were clouded, and that when humans are playing, expect anything!

      What bothers me is that I know the Bank of Chess Karma is going to call and tell me my account is overdrawn, and I will pay this forward to some lucky player in the near future 😕

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      Originally posted by FabianFnas
      After 1. Rb1 Rh2+ 2. Kxh2 Rc2+ 3. Kh1 Nxh3 (as in your first diagram) white can cut off blacks bishop with his pawn to f4. What will black do then? White is superiour in material and can with no problems protect his pawn with the life of a rook against the bishop.

      I bet a penny on white.
      That's what I get and deserve for being such a smart ass... 🙁 I checked it like 10 times and never noticed that irritating pawn, oh well, guess that's why I'm a 1700 😞




      But the idea is there and it still shows the possibilities black has. 🙂

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      Nice game, Paul.

      Here's another example of never giving up. I played white and got into what I thought was a very poor/cramped position and almost hit the resign button a few times before deciding to "play one more move, just in case." 🙂


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      1.e4e5
      2.Ng1f3Nb8c6
      3.d4exd4
      4.Nf3xd4Nc6xd4
      5.Qd1xd4d6
      6.Bf1e2Qd8f6
      7.Qd4e3g6
      8.Nb1c3Bf8h6
      9.Qe3d3Bh6g7
      10.Nc3d5Qf6d8
      11.O-Oc6
      12.Nd5b4Ng8f6
      13.e5dxe5
      14.Qd3xd8Ke8xd8
      15.Bc1g5Kd8e8
      16.Rf1e1Nf6d5
      17.Nb4xd5cxd5
      18.Be2b5Ke8f8
      19.Ra1d1Bc8e6
      20.Bg5d2Ra8c8
      21.Bd2b4Kf8g8
      22.c3h6
      23.Bb4d6e4
      24.Bd6f4Kg8h7
      25.g3Rh8d8
      26.Bf4e3a6
      27.Bb5a4h5
      28.Be3d4Bg7xd4
      29.cxd4Rc8c4
      30.Ba4b3Rc4b4
      31.Re1e3Be6g4
      32.Rd1d2Bg4f3
      33.a3Rb4b6
      34.Bb3a2Rb6c6
      35.Re3c3Rc6b6
      36.b4Rd8d6
      37.Rc3c5Rb6c6
      38.Ba2b3b6
      39.Rc5c2Rc6xc2
      40.Bb3xc2Rd6c6
      41.h4Rc6c3
      42.a4Rc3c4
      43.b5axb5
      44.axb5Rc4b4
      45.Kg1h2Rb4xb5
      46.Bc2d1Bf3xd1
      47.Rd2xd1Rb5b2
      48.Kh2g2b5
      49.Kg2f1b4
      50.Kf1e1Kh7g7
      51.Rd1c1Kg7f6
      52.Rc1c6Kf6f5
      53.Rc6d6Kf5g4
      54.Rd6xd5Kg4f3
      55.Rd5d6Rb2b1
      56.Ke1d2Kf3xf2
      57.Rd6f6Kf2xg3
      58.Rf6xf7Kg3xh4
      59.Rf7f4Kh4g3
      60.Rf4xe4h4
      61.d5h3
      62.Re4e3Kg3g2
      63.d6Rb1a1
      64.d7h2
      65.Re3e2Kg2g1
      66.d8=QRa1a2
      67.Kd2d3Ra2xe2
      68.Kd3xe2h1=Q
      69.Qd8d4Kg1h2
      70.Qd4h4Kh2g2
      71.Qh4g4Kg2h2
      72.Ke2f2

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          Originally posted by Traveling Again
          Nice game, Paul.

          Here's another example of never giving up. I played white and got into what I thought was a very poor/cramped position and almost hit the resign button a few times before deciding to "play one more move, just in case." 🙂


          [pgn][Event "TACK 2 Weak 2 dual"]
          [Site "http://www.timeforchess.com"]
          [Date "2010.03.22"]
          [EndDate ...[text shortened]... Q 69. Qd8d4 Kg1h2 70. Qd4h4 Kh2g2 71. Qh4g4 Kg2h2
          72. Ke2f2 1-0


          [/pgn]
          Now that's entertainment! I've almost made it a rule for myself that technique untested isn't technique at all. We're human, and the play is the thing!

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          Originally posted by Paul Leggett
          That is exactly why my opponent said he resigned.
          🙂
          That and doubling the rooks looks pretty fatal, I just hate to give an inch during a game, if you know what I mean.

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          Instead of resigning in the final position, I would have played Qc4 as white, and tried to get rid of my queen for a rook. There is still play there it seems to me. On second thought, after Nxrp, there might be a mate looming.....

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