I was playing a game that I will easily say was the most fun game I have ever played except for one early mistake which I came back from.  Every move I made for the last few days I planned and planned over.  I was so nervous but so excited at the possibility of winning which I didn't think was even possible with an opponent ranked so much higher than myself.  This game was my favorite by far.  I was most proud of this game until now.

After a heated exchange on the board I managed to come out on top!  Then the guy I'm playing found a way to eek out a draw using the 50 move rule and it just ruined everything.  Not because I'm not going to win you understand.  If I would have lost fairly it still would have been totally worth it.  It still would have been the most fun I've had playing a game to date.  I just feel cheated because in my eyes I DID win!  I came out on top!  I am ahead in position and material!  And it was such a hard fought battle!  It's so disheartening.

If I were in this position I would either play for the win or resign.  I would not feel good about what I consider is poor sportsmanship and eeking out a draw in this way robbing my opponent of a win after such a hard fought battle.  

Opinions?  What would you do?  How would you feel in this situation?

Oh, and my game is currently still going if anyone would like to see it.  It's the one in the 40+ moves.

There's not a way to cheat on chess.com is there? It is all computers and stuff man, I don't think your opponent can cheat against rules. Chessmaster never lets me cheat. Maybe next time you can convert 'won' position into win.

Well Majere1313.........

What can I say? To me that is the single most frustrating thing in chess, when I "win" a really hard game that was well fought on both sides and in the end I'm up material and I should win but they draw by perpetual check or 50 move rule in your case.

However, thing is the rules of chess are simple, black and white, and that is one way to claim a draw. So no matter how much it sucks or you may think you've won and the draw shouldnt' be there, that's just how it is. In the future along with your strategies in the end just try to find a way to secure the win where your oppoent can't force a draw this way. Only way around it, as most people who have lost all chances of winning, will try to draw because a draw is better than a loss :)

This may not be the answer you're hoping for but I feel that your opponent has played well to find this saving resource. What's poor sportmanship is you making him continue on and on when you can see it's a draw. Put yourself in his shoes for a minute, you are fighting to try to get something from the game then you find this continuation, you'd seriously not play it?  I don't see anything romantic in not playing for the best result you can get, why should he make a losing move just because you were winning earlier?

I would suck out the fun too.

I didn't say anything about it being cheating I just think it's pathetic to have to finish a game like that.  And I have been in that position and when someone out plays me, to me, that's a win and I resign.   Maybe it's just me.  I play for the win.  If I can't win then I lose.  I wouldn't feel good eeking out a draw.  Too each his own.

That is a draw by perpetual check, and he should be able to claim draw already. I remember talking about this with admin. a long, long time ago. So, I assume it has been added in by now.

I can understand that it might be a little frustrating, but just like he made mistakes to put him in a losing position you made the mistake of allowing a perpetual check.  If perpetual check is available to him then he shouldn't resign.  :)

Hi, I think you lacked the skill to convert the advantage, a key element of which is to prevent perpetual opportunities by your opponent so the draw is a very just result.  How about analyzing the game to see where you went wrong?

This is not poor sportsmanship and it is not cheating you out of the win. Why do you feel like you deserved the win? Just because you were ahead in material? You failed to defend against the perpetual check, so you deserve a draw. This is truly tantamount to saying something like "I should have won despite being checkmated because I was up in material." You failed to defend against the mate threat, so you deserve the loss. Chess is not a 'point scoring' game. Material has nothing to do with the outcome.

If an outfielder makes a catch over the fence, no one responds with 'That is so cheap! The hitter clearly deserved the home run."

C'mon man, this is competition. Grow a pair, and learn from your mistake. I feel sorry that you missed the win after such a hard fought game, but you are the one that gave up the win. It sounds to me like you just feel stupid, and are making excuses when you know he deserves the draw.

Yes, this sucks, but it is not bad sportmanship by your opponent to play for a draw when you are ahead in material. The point here is that you simply don't have a winning position if your opponent has a perpetual check because you don't have the time to make any winning moves.

I think you should file this as a learning experience. You probably already knew to look out for cheap backrank mates when you are winning, and to avoid to stalemate your opponent. Now you know to also be on the lookout for perpetual checks.

So: You made a comeback against a higher rated player and I am sure that you can do this again. So remember not to give up, just because you are behind in material. On the other side of things, don't let your guard down when you are ahead. Im sure you won't  from now on, and your chess will benefit from it.

If you were in a tournament and had his postion on move 39, would you really throw the game; or would you take the draw that you fought for?

I like that.  Point made and taken.

I have resigned before because I felt it was cheap bullshit.  But I guess since listening to all of you, I don't know, maybe I'll re-think it.  I figured people felt the same way I did so I didn't do that to my opponent.  Maybe Ill start utilizing that rule.   I've gotten the answers I was looking for I guess.  Thanks everyone.

You keep saying stuff like this; as if you are the sole remaining guardian of some noble sentiment of chess sportsmanship. What you fail to realize is that you are publicly criticizing Ambach for doing nothing more than following the rules of the game and playing his position well. That is why there has been this kind of harsh response. Your opponent simply played good chess and found a draw in a lost position. There is no reason to abuse him in a public forum.

If you were just making a comment about some unnamed game where you felt frustrated and deserved to win, then all well and good. But you did point out which game; in a public forum. You have to realize that saying things like "If I had this position against one of you guys, I wouldn't be a jerk and pull this stupid shit," implies something like "Ambach is being a jerk and trying to pull some stupid shit."

"That is a draw by perpetual check, and he should be able to claim draw already. I remember talking about this with admin. a long, long time ago".

I throught you are able to claim draw when a threefold repetition occurs? The "offer draw" button changes to "claim draw".

If the game is only at the 40+ moves area, how on earth can the 50 move rule appy?

Just keep playing to win.  Every time a pawn moves, the 50 move rule is reset.

Don't be duped.

Nvm.  I just looked at your games.  If it's the game vs ambach, then it's perpetual check and therefore a draw.  No sense in being upset about it, just learn to not allow such a thing when you are up on material.  Anything else is poor sportsmanship.

Now you know why 38. Nd7 was a mistake.

You should just claim draw using that "offer draw" button. I'm surprised his opponent didn't do it.

And it's EXTREMELY poor sportmanship to FAIL to defend against a perpetual check and then complain about how unfa-a-a-ir it is and that you deserve a win, and how much your opponent sucks. The arrogance, it BURNS.

Sorry.

Everything has been said. If you are losing and you see a draw, you are really stupid when you resign. You made a mistake on move 37. I think you should take a pawn with your queen as the bishop was lost for black anyway and take him after that. Or even taking it imediately with your queen would be better because when you are ahead in material, every exchange is good for you and queen only let him chances for some counterplay.

it's all part of the game.  your opponent pulled out the draw; he or she should get credit.