Whining during games

Originally posted by Tyrannosauruschex
I would have been raging if I had lost that as white but, yes, it is a great example of a 'resignable' position still having enough life in it to wb worth continuing.

So perhaps being too dumb to know when you're beaten has its advantages sometimes...or at least that's what I tell myself. 😉

Playing on (quickly) in a lost position for a beginner may be considered educational on how to move the pieces effectively to complete the game.

Either that: move very slowly and hope to bore them to death and then triumphantly time them out!

Originally posted by raiox
Playing on (quickly) in a lost position for a beginner may be considered educational on how to move the pieces effectively to complete the game.

Either that: move very slowly and hope to bore them to death and then triumphantly time them out!

Please define beginner. Some day I may hope to qualify. They tell me it's advantageous to have goals. 😉

I must confess - I have asked an opponent to resign - I also added that if they actually thought they could learn something by playing out the position I would be glad to continue. The sad truth is that chess is primarily a game of material. Greater force will prevail barring extraordinary factors.

Think of it this way - if you were just learning to box would you get in the ring with the heavyweight champion? Of course you would! But after 2 or 3 blows that had you unable to lift your arms or focus your eyes would you beg the referee to let you keep going to... what, death? There is nothing at that point that you can learn about boxing. When you are 2 rooks and a piece down there's not much you'll learn about chess except how it feels to be manhandled by superior forces. Only a true sadist would want to play you at that point and only a masochist would beg to continue the inevitable abuse.

Originally posted by TerrierJack
I must confess - I have asked an opponent to resign - I also added that if they actually thought they could learn something by playing out the position I would be glad to continue. The sad truth is that chess is primarily a game of material. Greater force will prevail barring extraordinary factors.

Think of it this way - if you were just learning to b ...[text shortened]... ant to play you at that point and only a masochist would beg to continue the inevitable abuse.

That's all true, but it's still very bad form to ask your opponent to resign. When and whether to resign is entirely his choice.

Originally posted by no1marauder
That's all true, but it's still very bad form to ask your opponent to resign. When and whether to resign is entirely his choice.

I disagree. I wouldn't do it during a tournament (and didn't) but challenge games (even if they are rated) is a different matter (they are only between the 2 players so to speak.)

I think you should be very careful in asking someone to resign, and even more careful in thinking that it is rude when someone does not. I have a 1700 rating and occasionally give away my queen. When there are few pieces on the board it becomes more obvious to resign and there are less chances to trap your opponent and equal the game again. Occasionally I have to gnash my teeth through moving my king and unreachable pawn to the other side while some lone king is hopping futile on the board, but I would still not complain about it.

As for low rated players, I think it is quite logical that sometimes they want to see the game through to the end, including an entire session to checkmate with rook and king (as I had to once).

I even think that it is not unfair to wait with a resignation until your opponent reaches his or her 'natural' rating level (for instance after a few timeouts), then again, that might be taking the rating a bit too serious.

Resigning is your opponents choice, and he or she will make that choice for whatever reason.

Originally posted by TerrierJack
I disagree. I wouldn't do it during a tournament (and didn't) but challenge games (even if they are rated) is a different matter (they are only between the 2 players so to speak.)

Your disagreement just shows an appalling lack of knowledge of chess etiquette.

Good for you.

Here is a game I recently played where I think a resignation was warranted (Game 6293406).

My opponent's position was hopeless...I even sent him a message with the moves to mate. Now granted, that probably wasn't the nicest thing to do, but my opponent was a 2100 rated player! Surely you know when you're beat at that level...no?

I think playing a game to the end is a good way to learn…but how much are you going to learn from watching a known mate happen when you are already a great player?

Originally posted by mlm8675309
Here is a game I recently played where I think a resignation was warranted (Game 6293406).

My opponent's position was hopeless...I even sent him a message with the moves to mate. Now granted, that probably wasn't the nicest thing to do, but my opponent was a 2100 rated player! Surely you know when you're beat at that level...no?

I think play ...[text shortened]... are you going to learn from watching a known mate happen when you are already a great player?

I'd disagree.

There is enough stalemate scope with the king in the corner, and the wrong bishop that I'd play that one out, when it just came down to pawns plus bishop. I'd probably play quickly though. If you'd sent me the moves, it would depend on my mood: you might get the win, or you might just as easily get the slow play to the bitter end.

Even straight after the tactic to go a bishop up, 41. ... Qd2 looks to draw, as the K cannot escape to the g file without allowing ... Qe1 or Qe3 winning back the bishop.

Originally posted by mlm8675309
Here is a game I recently played where I think a resignation was warranted (Game 6293406).

My opponent's position was hopeless...I even sent him a message with the moves to mate. Now granted, that probably wasn't the nicest thing to do, but my opponent was a 2100 rated player! Surely you know when you're beat at that level...no?

I think play ...[text shortened]... are you going to learn from watching a known mate happen when you are already a great player?

I'd disagree.

There are a lot of reasons to actually play out a game, to a mate.
His opponent was proned to not handling his time planning very well. Perhaps he was about to win the game on time, thus avoiding to lose 32 rating points. We can easily conclude that he knew very well he would lose the game qute many moves before the very mate.
I say he had reasons to play out the game.

Is this good behaviour or not? I don't know, but it's definitely within the rules of RHP. Noone should whine about this.

Originally posted by FabianFnas
Is this good behaviour or not? I don't know, but it's definitely within the rules of RHP. Noone should whine about this.

Which brings us very nicely back to my original post.

Some may disagree as to whether not resigning is mannerly. But asking your opponent to resign is discourteous. And your opponent may see a stalemate possibility, a timeout possibility, or even a win option that you may not see.

I'll go on record here as stating that if you suggest that I should resign our game, I will not. I won't go into slow-play mode, because I personally hate it when they do that (and I get opponents doing that much more often than I'd like), but I will make you earn the win. Or I might surprise you with a stalemate or even a win of my own. Now wouldn't that just curl your toes? And isn't that part of why we play this darned game anyway? The thrill. The excitement. The OMG where did that come from?

Make a daily choice to stay happy (yes, I know it's not always easy, but nobody told you it would be easy and it makes you much more pleasant to be around) and try to treat others the way you would prefer to be treated. Not because it might say that in some dusty old book, but because it makes the world a bit easier to live in. 😉

Playin' the game the best I know how; livin' this life the best I see fit.

Steve

So is there anything you can do when your opponent 'slow plays' you? Game 6598695 My opponent is using almost as much of the 14/28 time as he can. Is there any way to get a game adjudicated - we're talking a material advantage of 2R+p, with no hope of promotion for the losing side? How can I message the guy politely, without "whining"?

Originally posted by fergalish
So is there anything you can do when your opponent 'slow plays' you? Game 6598695 My opponent is using almost as much of the 14/28 time as he can. Is there any way to get a game adjudicated - we're talking a material advantage of 2R+p, with no hope of promotion for the losing side? How can I message the guy politely, without "whining"?

You cannot. Every attempt to do so will be considered whining.

He has the right to use every little second in his games. As you do. It's within the agreement you and your opponent did to eachother when you started your game. If you want to break the agreement, by whining of his rightful behaviour, then you are the one whou should lose.

No, carry on your game. Play as quickly as you want, or as sow as your want, but - play!

Originally posted by fergalish
So is there anything you can do when your opponent 'slow plays' you? Game 6598695 My opponent is using almost as much of the 14/28 time as he can. Is there any way to get a game adjudicated - we're talking a material advantage of 2R+p, with no hope of promotion for the losing side? How can I message the guy politely, without "whining"?

You could try

My dearest opponent,

I am so far ahead of you that you have no chance of winning, the best you could hope for is a stalemate or a win via timeout and I ain't stupid enough to let that happen. The timeout option is a possibility but the only way that will happen is if I die, and I don't plan on doing that anytime soon.

We could go on forever playing out the match to its inevitable win for me but is it really worth the effort? You could free up one of your 6 games and start playing someone else, and so could I.

Be a sport and do the decent thing.

Your friendly opponent

fergalish

Alternatively just play the game out 🙂