Every game I play there comes a time when my opponent will give up, say, a knight for a knight or a bishop for a bishop for no real tactical advantage. It drives me crazy. What is the advantage of taking someones knight if they are just going to take your knight? Am I missing something? Should you be willing to throw away pieces for no real gain or is it just a matter of clearing the board?
Originally posted by CliffLandinHard to say without a concrete example.Here's a few possible reasons.
Every game I play there comes a time when my opponent will give up, say, a knight for a knight or a bishop for a bishop for no real tactical advantage. It drives me crazy. What is the advantage of taking someones knight if they are just going to take your knight? Am I missing something? Should you be willing to throw away pieces for no real gain or is it just a matter of clearing the board?
-your piece was well positioned
-it threatened something
-it could become dangerous in a few moves
-their piece was bad positioned and useless,and they took the opportunity to get rid of it
Or maybe they just didn't know anything else to do.....
Yah... I especially hone in on of trading off when I'm ahead material (more than just a pawn, say). Each successive piece that comes off the board only increases the effective material difference.
Or so they say.
Whoever they are.
Then again at my level of play a pawn (or five) probably means far less than it would to someone who has a better idea of how to exploit the slightest material edge.
Feh-ola.