Hi Meterman.
White will be thinking it's a loss but if you look at Game 11777545
you will see it has been classed as a Draw.
You as Black were doing OK. But...
You played 19...NxB here. That Knight was very good e5.
You make a drastic oversight later on in this game (see next)
but that is oversight and can happen to anyone. This move 19...NxB
is worse because you meant it and it is possibly based on the rumour
that Bishop are worth more Knights.
In this position that e5 Knight is worth more than a Rook.
Here with Black to play.
Black 31...BxQ+ and that would probably has been 0-1.
White returned the compliment here. (White to play)
White chopped Queens but 36.Ne5+ wins the Queen or Mates Black.
36.Ne5+ Kf5 (only move) 37.Qf6+ Ke4 38.Qf4 mate.
The ending is won for White but they slipped up.
59.b5 cxb5 is a draw which you demonstrated.
59.Kd6 or 59.a5 (or any other legal move apart from 59. b5) wins.
I once managed a stalemate against a friend who didn't know about that rule; when i tried to explain what it was, he thought I was merely bickering and invented some technicality, and walked away with a bitter taste in his mouth.
From a casual-player perspective (meaning they only play on rare occasions where someone happened to have a chessboard), stalemates are stupid....especially if you were winning.
However, for more serious players, it adds to the complexity of chess, and opens more possibilities. A well-planned stalemate is fun to watch.
Chess is an odd game. What other game has SIX ways just to get a draw?
Originally posted by vivifyThe presence of the stalemate rule alters the game in fundamental ways, even [or perhaps, especially?] when both players are fully aware of it.
I once managed a stalemate against a friend who didn't know about that rule; when i tried to explain what it was, he thought I was merely bickering and invented some technicality, and walked away with a bitter taste in his mouth.
From a casual-player perspective (meaning they only play on rare occasions where someone happened to have a chessboard), stale ...[text shortened]... mate is fun to watch.
Chess is an odd game. What other game has SIX ways just to get a draw?
Take this position.
It is a draw with White to play, and a win for White if Black is to play. But the drawing possibility owes its existence to the stalemate rule. If stalemate was a loss for the stalemated side, White would win this position no matter whose move it is.
This would mean that an extra pawn would become even more important in a game of chess than it already is - and that daring, sacrificial, risk-taking, attacking play would reap fewer rewards, and defensive, stingy, pawn-picking would reap greater rewards.
I like the balance of risk vs. reward in chess the way it is. Remove the stalemate rule, and one ruins the delicate balance of a great game.
I felt like I lost the game when I missed 31....BxQ+,I was very fortunate to come away with a draw. I'm not very good at this game, but I read all your blogs and hope something will finally sink in. Thanks for the instruction, and I will try to do better in the future.