Why Don't They Resign?

I see one problem with players in lost position is that all of a sudden they go on vacation, so they can stall longer

Originally posted by kmac27
Except from players under 1400. Some of them just don't know what a lost game is yet.

i'd up that to under 1500 from my experiences.

as a resigner myself i'm pretty bias on this matter but no matter how good or bad you or your opponent is you can never complain if they don't resign when you think they should....if you're any good you will eventually win through checkmate.

like none of us have ever made a mistake or timed out in any games before....always worth playing on i guess.

but like i said as soon as i feel i can win or pull off a draw i'll resign.

Originally posted by dubnikova
Often I see playes here on this site, and in live games (New York parks, Greenwich Village clubs...) play to the bitter end, even where they have no chance to draw let alone win. I consider this an unsportsman like behavior.

What do you think?

I agree, it is bad sportsmanship, but not illegal. I don't see any alternative but play the game out and bury them, then suggest they should have resigned earlier.😏

Originally posted by dubnikova
Often I see playes here on this site, and in live games (New York parks, Greenwich Village clubs...) play to the bitter end, even where they have no chance to draw let alone win. I consider this an unsportsman like behavior.

What do you think?

I think you're right.

Originally posted by Mad Rook
Game in progress, so I can't comment on the game. But if I were in your shoes, and considering the players' ratings, I wouldn't put mccarthyball on ignore for just that one game.

That games now over but I agree.

Surprisingly not everyone knows how to win with K&Q vs K and a stalemate often occurs so below a certain rating it is prudent to play on and have your opponent show he can do it. Also it may be a learning experience for the losing side.

This player does not deserve a place on his opponents ignore list.

Originally posted by trev33
but like i said as soon as i feel i can win or pull off a draw i'll resign.

We should have a few games =)

Since I'm pretty sure you will always feel like you are going to win =P

But back on topic

As a ... low rated player I do resign when I feel its a lost cause, but if I am playing someone of the same level or slightly higher , you can sometimes sense when he is a error prone person, and if the likely hood is high that he might make a blunder, I normally play on. But if I know its a solid player, that wont make a blunder, I resign

Originally posted by m00nshine
We should have a few games =)

Since I'm pretty sure you will always feel like you are going to win =P

But back on topic

As a ... low rated player I do resign when I feel its a lost cause, but if I am playing someone of the same level or slightly higher , you can sometimes sense when he is a error prone person, and if the likely hood is high that h ...[text shortened]... under, I normally play on. But if I know its a solid player, that wont make a blunder, I resign

lol i never noticed that...i'm playing one game that i should really resign then....i've only got 4 pawns left against a lone king....i think i might hold on for a few moves though, then think about resigning when i get a queen or 2 😵

I will resign if I have a lost postion but (perversly?) not if there is a sudden forced mating combination as i feel that would take away a deserved pleasuse from my opponent. I naturally would not stall. Is this acceptable conduct?

Two points on this question.
1st Comment : "No game was ever won by resigning." - Savielly Tartakower.

2nd Comment : See RHP Game No. 2507347 and the associated Thread No. 58266 'Refusing to let the game end' (last post : 17 Dec '06 18:53). Here White moaned that Black was unjustifiably prolonging the game by checking repeatedly, implying that he should resign. In fact White had a simple win on his 48th, 50th, 52nd, 54th, 56th and 58th moves, but allowed Black to draw by the 'Three Repetitions of Position' law; so this was a case where Black was justified in playing on as his opponent, despite all his complaining, apparently did not know how to win the game.

Originally posted by Essex 3
... so this was a case where Black was justified in playing on as his opponent, despite all his complaining, apparently did not know how to win the game.

Some fool whinging is in general a good reason to carry on to the bitter end.

Add them to your ignore list, and move as late as you can be bothered to wait.
It might not be polite to carry on in a lost position, but it is equally impolite to request your opponent resign.

Originally posted by sh76
I recently played a game against an opponent rated mid 1800s and got to this position (I was black):

[pgn]1. e4 c5 2. Ng1f3 Nb8c6 3. Bf1c4 d6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nf3xd4 Ng8f6 6. Nb1c3 g6 7. Bc1e3 Bf8g7 8. Bc4b3 Bc8d7 9. Qd1d2 Nf6g4 10. O-O-O Nc6xd4 11. Be3xd4 Bg7h6 12. Bd4e3 Ng4xe3 13. fxe3 Qd8b6 14. Rd1e1 e6 15. Kc1b1 O-O 16. h4 Qb6c5 17. g4 Bh6g7 18. h5 Ra8c8 19 ...[text shortened]... aid, if the game is clearly and irretrievably lost, I'd say it's good sportsmanship to resign.

Sorry for going back to an old post but why was Bxe6 such a good move for your opponent? I've only just joined here and started playing so I'm sure I'm just being thick but I just can't see it.

If anyone could explain I'd really appreciate it.

Originally posted by shed7
Sorry for going back to an old post but why was Bxe6 such a good move for your opponent? I've only just joined here and started playing so I'm sure I'm just being thick but I just can't see it.

If anyone could explain I'd really appreciate it.

That's perfectly okay. It's not that obvious- it only becomes so when you play out the variations.

34. Bxe6 threatens Bxf7+ and so it has to be dealt with.

If:

34. ... fxe6, then 35. Qxe6+! wins the black queen because it opens up an attack on the queen by the white rook with check. blocking the check with the black queen doesn't help because the white rook can still take it

34. ...Be8, then simply 35. Bxc8, winning the exchange plus a pawn and black is hopeless.

34. ...Rc7 (best) then 35. Qxg6+ (the f pawn is pinned against the King by the bishop) 35. ... Qg7 (35 ... Kh8 36. Rh1+ Qh6 37. Rxh6# ), then white simply trades off the queens and is up 2 pawns and has a winning endgame. It might be worth playing on a little from there but black's prospects would be very bleak indeed.

Wow, that's excellent, thanks mate!

It would have taken me weeks to see that, I guess I have a lot to learn.

Originally posted by shed7
Wow, that's excellent, thanks mate!

It would have taken me weeks to see that, I guess I have a lot to learn.

No problem. We've all been there. Chess is a complicated game. Keep at it and use the analyze board feature over and over and over again. For each possibility, think "What's his best response to my contemplated move?" "What can I do in response to that?" etc. etc. and you'll get better. 🙂

The amazing thing about chess is that you'll never reach the point where you say "Okay; I've improved enough." There's no such thing. You just keep wanting to get better and better and your analysis gets deeper and deeper and more nuanced as you improve. But there is ALWAYS room for improvement and that's what makes this such a wonderful game.

Even when im almost certain to lose i dont like to resign i like to play it out i dont know maybe its just me because i am unexperienced

when im in a definate winning position i would prefer my oppononet not to resign to gain more experience in endgames and mates nd stuff