at this point, i offered a draw. we had been dancing around for maybe 15 moves when i finally decided that i couldn't simultaneously attack a4, defend a5, and put the white king in check.

since it ended, of course, my mind has been running amock with, "but what if i had tried moving my king back to b7 or 8?" and things of that sort. white to move (and get out of check)--was there any hope for black?

i'm scared to death that there was.

After

 

Kc3 (forced) Qd1 immediately wins one of the pawns

White can't play Rxa5 because of Qe1+ skewering the king and winning the rook. 

 

Black will also pick up the other pawn and then should win.

so you're saying, 1. Kc3 Qd1 (2. Rxa5? Qe1+ 3. Kc4 Qxa5 --white resigns).

i don't mean to be cheeky, but what about 1. Kc3 Qd1 (2. Rb6+ Kxc5 3. Rb5+ Kd6 --black can't take pawn, white can't escape check, draw)?

::desperately tries to justify his draw offer::

justice_avocado wrote: so you're saying, 1. Kc3 Qd1 (2. Rxa5? Qe1+ 3. Kc4 Qxa5 --white resigns).

i don't mean to be cheeky, but what about 1. Kc3 Qd1 (2. Rb6+ Kxc5 3. Rb5+ Kd6 --black can't take pawn, white can't escape check, draw)?

::desperately tries to justify his draw offer::

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2. Rb6+ Kxc5

3. Rb5+ Kc6

Now what for White?

4. Rb3 Qa1+ wins the a pawn

or 4. R anywhere else, Qxa4

Then Black can advance the a pawn. 

RichardHayden, i want to be you. is that wrong?

lol. justice, you are funny :)

justice_avocado wrote: RichardHayden, i want to be you. is that wrong?

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Be careful what you wish for. There are many ways to "miss-spend" your youth; in the era before console video games, chess was the path I took.

 

Yes, I am that old, although I was also able to waste plenty of time visiting arcades to play coin-operated Space Invaders, Galaxian and Asteroids.

Depending on the situation, sometime I'm relieved when I draw.  I've never played in a tournament, so obviously draw(ing) would be a little different.  If I have the advantage, I never draw.  If the position's even, I'll only offer a draw if I either just lost advantage (which is a mental blow) or there's no other option.  If I am down material, I will offer draws (don't laugh) if my opponent is going to lose on time.  I feel it's a fair trade as they couldn't complete the game within the time constraints, but yet they had the winning position.

I'm sort of jealous Richard, I wish I could get super excited about videogames with terrible graphics

Sprite wrote:

I'm sort of jealous Richard, I wish I could get super excited about videogames with terrible graphics

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Hey, it's all we had back then. Nowadays my son and I have a dedicated room in our basement with an Xbox 360 with a HD projector and a 100" screen.