Why resign a game?

Chess is an ancient game based on military strategy. Military men in ancient times, as now were taught never surrender while they still have the means to resist. As a relatively new member of this website, I have already had a few opponents resign (surrender) at the first sign of a strategic disadvantage or in the face of an opponents tactical superiority. I don't understand that at all. Shifts in strategic and tactical advantage occur suddenly and frequently on the battlefield and on the chessboard. In chess (a bloodless sport), this is the point where the game actually becomes more interesting. Once we lose the advantage over our opponent, and the pressure is on,  we must become more cunning and resourceful. Operating under such conditions, hones our skills, ultimately making us better chess players. Never Surrender.

I agree!

I was so looking forward to another never resign thread.

 And yet in all but one of your losses here you resigned ! In one you were mated.

Chess is a battle on field of cowardly internet tough guyz, who seek fame, and if posible fast. Anyone can pretend to be anybody. I once played vs guy who just registered on chess.com and his rating was 1200. I usualy dont play new guys, but I accepted chalenge. After 1st move he told me that he will concour chess.com, that he won many tournaments in RL, and that he will crush me. I told him that it is OK with me, just to be carefull not to be busted when they find out he is using chess engine. After move 2 he resigned.

But then again, in RL, I played a game OTB vs older guy who was not that great but he wanted us to play. We started and it was very interesting game, after 20 moves there was no captured pieces and it was geting very sharp. He than stand up and told me - nah, this is too much for me, you are better player, i give up, and walk away. You can just try to imagine my facial expression, after 5 minutes still siting there and staring at empty seat where my opponet was 5 min ago.

True. 

I used to be on the same opinion: Why should I resign? Everyone has some drawing chances until the very last move. Miracles can happen, i thought, but later I realized that they don't. I always got checkmated and I never managed to turn back the advantage.  Not resigning  only prolongs the agony as you are despaertely trying to find a way out, only to finally realize that your efforts weren't sufficient. OK, this might not happen to everyone, and someone can really save one match out of 100, but I think this is quite improbable.

Keldron...what's your point? I don't it...

You must take in consideration the strenth of your opp and many other factors. I do not want to prolong games and play it for months, I surely do not believe that I can get draw vs player who is strong, not blunder prone, and who destroyed me. If he won, he won, I can be man enough to admit that.

My point is that if I'm in a bad position, I can never save the game. I tried it many times. So instead I resign rather than plod on hopeless situations.

 The more experience you have (especially against strong players) the sooner you reach this decision.

This is a great story about your OTB game. I would be sitting with my mouth hanging open. I'm sorry he resigned. I'ld like to know what would have happened. Maybe he was a good player, sometime in the past, but found he couldn't calculate like he could, before? If so, I think I know how he felt. But maybe you had a better position and he saw that.

For me -- I usually resign, when I feel I'm lost. I'm usually right about the feeling, I think. But sometimes, if I just made a huge blunder from a decent position, I'll play a move or two if I see anything that might create a problem.

Resign, don't resign....just always remember the choice is yours, and don't allow anyone else to try and dictate to you what you should do in any given situation!

I look at it as "Why waste time and mental energy on lost games when I can move on to one I have a chance to win?"

Sure, if I held on like grim death to every game, I may draw one here or there. But its not worth the bother to me. And I hate playing losing positions.

I never resign!

I simply slither off to the nearest Starbucks to get a mocha latte and return to find my clock expired. This way I'll have two excuses for my loss that have nothing to do with my inability to play the game well.

Remember:

In chess, it's not how well you play the game, it's how well you game your play.

Concession is the better part of valor.

I've always wondered why Japan didn't press on in WWII....

I agree, especially with the word "plod".  Some people play the very bitter end (I shamefully did this to someone -- made them play 40 extra moves and I had no hope) and the bitter end is coming.  It is boring.

I know, never give up, your opponent may blunder yada yada.  Plodding is boring and as a gentleman, I think resigning is a noble thing to do, acknowledging to your opponent that they played well and now have you in a hopeless position.

In a lost position, look for a plan. If you can find one, play on, no matter how bad the plan is, you never know...

If you can't find a plan, even a bad one, it's time to resign, dude

I will play on if there is some slight chance I can get something, e.g. opponent is low on time (if playing in a congress), however if the position is completely lost and I can see a checkmate coming with no way to defend it then I would resign.