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Why play if you don't try to win?

Why play if you don't try to win?

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I recently played a game where, at a certain stage, my opponent decided to put me in check - and since I could only move my king to one other position, decided to keep me in check and the 3x repetition made for a stalemate and the game ended!! There was NO attempt to win the game from that point!

Game 1146596

When he first put me in check, he offered me a draw and I thought "oh, he's not, is he??" .. .oh yes he is! That was awfully frustrating!

My question is.. why do this? Why not make at least some effort to win? Maybe it's just me but I'll always try my best to win the game - that's the fun of it! If someone beats me, so be it... but at least I'll lose by "having a go".

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Maybe he put you in perpetual check because he was behind material wise. Looking over your position, he had no attack going anywhere and was down on material. Perpetual check was his only option. A draw is better than a loss any day of the week.

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Yeah, unfortunately it's part of the game - if you're ahead u have to try and prevent perpetual check. It's quite a big part of the game at higher levels

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Originally posted by jones662
Maybe he put you in perpetual check because he was behind material wise. Looking over your position, he had no attack going anywhere and was down on material. Perpetual check was his only option. A draw is better than a loss any day of the week.
At first glance 21. ...Pf3 sets up mate, but white then forks the king and queen, swopping them off. Good for Black, he salvaged a drawn when a rook down and on the ropes.

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Originally posted by jones662
Maybe he put you in perpetual check because he was behind material wise. Looking over your position, he had no attack going anywhere and was down on material. Perpetual check was his only option. A draw is better than a loss any day of the week.
Yes, I agree. In this case its the original poster's own fault for allowing it. Maybe he should change the title to "Why not play on till I win? (even though I allowed you to force a draw)". Perhaps he is confused over peoples desire to see less drawn games at GM level. But that's totally different.

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To me.. when somebody forces a draw.. its like waving a white flag..
I play to win.. not draw.

My Stats
Games Played 85
Rated 84
Won 53
Lost 32
Drawn 0

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Originally posted by CenterNut
To me.. when somebody forces a draw.. its like waving a white flag..
I play to win.. not draw.

My Stats
Games Played 85
Rated 84
Won 53
Lost 32
Drawn 0
When faced with the situation of either losing or drawing, I always prefer to draw.

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Originally posted by CenterNut
To me.. when somebody forces a draw.. its like waving a white flag..
I play to win.. not draw.

My Stats
Games Played 85
Rated 84
Won 53
Lost 32
Drawn 0
When you're losing, it's just as satisfying to get a draw. That's a small victory in itself and as much a part of the game as anything else.

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the trick is.. not to allow yourself to be drawn against..

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Originally posted by buffalobill
When you're losing, it's just as satisfying to get a draw. That's a small victory in itself and as much a part of the game as anything else.
How true.

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Yes, all good points - thank you!

But like CenterNut, I play to win and would prefer to avoid draws if possible. I'm also not sure that my opponent was so far behind that he would make an *attempt* to win the game?? I wonder if Ironman would have done the same thing in the same situation? However, he wouldn't be in that situation in the first place - esp. not against me! ;-)

I figure, that in that game, my opponent had conceeded defeat and did that to avoid the loss.. oh well.

For my *justifications* (above) ..is probably the reason why I am just no good at this game! :-P

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Originally posted by gjr
Yes, all good points - thank you!

But like CenterNut, I play to win and would prefer to avoid draws if possible. I'm also not sure that my opponent was so far behind that he would make an *attempt* to win the game?? I wonder if Ironman would have done the same thing in the same situation? However, he wouldn't be in that situation in the first place - esp ...[text shortened]... my *justifications* (above) ..is probably the reason why I am just no good at this game! :-P
I think he conceeded defeat as much as you threw away the win. Its not his job to LET you win once you have a material advantage. You still have to win a winning position.

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Draws are as much a part of chess as castling. No one likes to settle for a draw but given the choice of a draw or a loss I'll take the draw anyday.

Anyone can see that down that much material with no compensation a draw is a great result.

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Originally posted by gjr
Yes, all good points - thank you!

But like CenterNut, I play to win and would prefer to avoid draws if possible. I'm also not sure that my opponent was so far behind that he would make an *attempt* to win the game?? I wonder if Ironman would have done the same thing in the same situation? However, he wouldn't be in that situation in the first place - esp ...[text shortened]... my *justifications* (above) ..is probably the reason why I am just no good at this game! :-P
Ahem. It's a quiet night, my game against "Mr Eveready" Exy is over (I lost) so I'd like to chuck this in. Can Centernut explain why he resigned in this position?
Game 1092965
I would have expected him to tough it out for a bit longer.

2 edits
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Originally posted by buffalobill
Ahem. It's a quiet night, my game against "Mr Eveready" Exy is over (I lost) so I'd like to chuck this in. Can Centernut explain why he resigned in this position?
Game 1092965
I would have expected him to tough it out for a bit longer.
That game has as player someone named "ChessNut," not "CenterNut."

Reminds me of a prank we used to pull as kids: Get out the phone book, look for a family named Chestnut, and call them. "Hello, is this the Walnut residence?"

"No, this is the Chestnut residence."

"Sorry. Wrong nuts!"

;-)