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The Quarter Point

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Has anybody ever been in quite a good position but offered a draw for some reason (e.g. being short of time, needing half a point for a tournament, needing to get home) and felt somewhat unhappy at the way things worked out?

I have the solution for this - why not be able to offer your opponent quarter of a point when you are looking in a good position. That way you get three quarters of a point so almost a win but they get the compensation that they could well have walked away with no points at all so everybody is happy.

I thought this would be a good place to air this, possibly controversial, idea and if it is well received I will make contact with fide and attempt to have the rules changed.

N.B. Half points would still exist for totally drawn games, perpetuals, threefold repitition, stalemate etc... This is just for the scenarios I covered in the first paragraph where half a point is not such a good result.

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In theory it seems a good idea, but in practice I'm not sure- if you open up the possibility, it could lead to 1/8th points, 1/16th etc., and it would just become a mess

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Originally posted by Tyrannosauruschex
Has anybody ever been in quite a good position but offered a draw for some reason (e.g. being short of time, needing half a point for a tournament, needing to get home) and felt somewhat unhappy at the way things worked out?

I have the solution for this - why not be able to offer your opponent quarter of a point when you are looking in a good po ...[text shortened]... for the scenarios I covered in the first paragraph where half a point is not such a good result.
I think the offer would be telling your opponent 'well, yeah it's probably winning, but I have no concrete plan on how to do it, and I'm not objectively sure about it'. so the defending side probably wouldn't accept it.

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Originally posted by Tyrannosauruschex
Has anybody ever been in quite a good position but offered a draw for some reason (e.g. being short of time, needing half a point for a tournament, needing to get home) and felt somewhat unhappy at the way things worked out?

I have the solution for this - why not be able to offer your opponent quarter of a point when you are looking in a good po ...[text shortened]... for the scenarios I covered in the first paragraph where half a point is not such a good result.
I can just see the negotiations.

How would you like 1/4 of a point mate?

No ways but I'll settle for 3/4.

OK, lets call it a draw then, 1/2 a point each.

Agreed.


I'm always happy with my draws even if I could have won. They were the right thing at that time.

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Or,...
offer a 1/4 draw, play on for the remaining 2/4

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You guys are all sick! I love it! 🙄

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Hehe it's like vegas chess 😛.

Soon we'll be able to double the point value of games too 😉.

ih8sens doubles - Accept or Resign?

Funky idea but I wouldn't like it.

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Originally posted by ih8sens
Hehe it's like vegas chess 😛.

Soon we'll be able to double the point value of games too 😉.

ih8sens doubles - Accept or Resign?

Funky idea but I wouldn't like it.
And you're the sickest! 😀

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Originally posted by ih8sens
Hehe it's like vegas chess 😛.

Soon we'll be able to double the point value of games too 😉.

ih8sens doubles - Accept or Resign?

Funky idea but I wouldn't like it.
Yeah we can call it chessgammon. 😀

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What about if you were playing against a really strong player who offered you quarter of a point? It might be less then a draw or a win, but at least it was not a loss.

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how would they calculate the rating?

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Originally posted by Tyrannosauruschex
Has anybody ever been in quite a good position but offered a draw for some reason (e.g. being short of time, needing half a point for a tournament, needing to get home) and felt somewhat unhappy at the way things worked out?
I don't understand the logic in your question.

The conditions for a particular game are known to both players at the outset. If you spend a long time over your moves you may well be able to achieve an advantageous position on the board because of the time spent thinking but this would be at the expense of time on your clock. If you then find yourself in time trouble that is your problem. You knew how many moves you needed to make beforehand as did you opponent. Your argument separates the position on the board from the time on the clock, treating them as separate items, and values the position on the board higher than the times on the clock.

Needing half a point - well offer a draw then.

Needing to get home - well perhaps you shouldn't have started the game in the first place. You knew how long it could take to play the game. Besides, if you had to get home why be unhappy about a draw? Switch the roles: What would you think if your opponent needed to get home and was in a better position? Why on earth would you want 1/4 point when it is your opponent who has the problem? It's either 1/2-1/2 or carry on playing.

How can you feel unhappy about such results? You haven't demonstrated that you are able win from such a position so why should you score more than you opponent.

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