When to resign - Etiquette - An honest appeal
Sort:
I’m just getting into chess again and to be quite honest I never thought about this resigning or not resigning situation being such an etiquette topic. I appreciate both sides talking about it to a great extent in order to understand why some players might get frustrated while at the same time realize that players are 100% entitled to keeping the game going.
Jan 10, 2021
0
#1102
I have had games where I dominate the entire game and make a blunder at the last second and get a draw. I have also done it myself to another player. I have had lots of players resigning too quickly when they were in a better position than me. Forcing a draw is an art form and you can't practise this art if you keep resigning. I have no problem with players who don't resign. On a very rare occasion I have become bored and restless and just resigned a easily winning position because I wanted to do something else. Its all part of the game.
Jan 10, 2021
0
#1103
Chess is like war. If you’ve ever seen the movie, 300, in the end Leonidus (the king of Sparta) is surrounded and outnumbered by the Persian army. With no way out, except for surrender, Leonidus and his handful of soldiers fight to their deaths.
Even if winning is not feasible, resigning is a sign of a quitter. Besides, there have been instances where I was losing significantly but my opponent ran out of time. Or the game was drawn by stale mate.
Even if winning is not feasible, resigning is a sign of a quitter. Besides, there have been instances where I was losing significantly but my opponent ran out of time. Or the game was drawn by stale mate.
Jan 10, 2021
0
#1104
Well, what a long thread here. Back when I first learned chess, I remember this being a concern I had, and I asked people if they were okay with me learning the end game by watching them do it, and eventually checkmate me. Watching others is a good way to master checkmates, and most were okay with it. I'm playing chess for the puzzles, more than the ratings (I want to get my mind sharper), so I don't mind if someone makes me draw a game. It's just another good puzzle to watch.
I got to over 1100 in rating once, on another account, so I'm not sure if I'm a beginner (I took up playing again last week), but I'll only resign when all the good puzzles are done with, so if there are still good puzzles to solve in the last part of the game, and if I have any doubts about someone's ability to checkmate, I'll continue it. Do many people sit down and focus on playing just mate-in-one, mate-in-two, etc, puzzles, frequently? I'm betting maybe no. 
Yesterday an opponent I beat in rapid apologized that he didn't resign with just his King left vs Queen and a few pass pawns. So needlessly polite. What is the world coming to!
bump
wornaki wrote:
I've recently blocked one player who forced me to mate him R+K vs K, and in the end I didn't (couldn't care). He got his well fought draw and I got to block him.
Well done to your opponent for drawing you fairly. He also got the added bonus of a sore loser blocking him. If you don't want that situation to occur, play chess better.
May 31, 2021
0
#1108
Your opponents do not have to resign if they do not want to. I find it annoying when my opponents are down a queen or two and do not resign trying to flag me, but that is part of the game. If you cannot checkmate with a K + R vs a K, that is on you.
May 31, 2021
0
#1109
jimmyjetset wrote:
Same thing happened to me
Player made me win RK vs K
I didn’t know how to do it
So I learned
hope the next person does the same thing
That is exactly the approach that all improving players take! Don’t you dare think that I got this (NM) Not Master title for nothing!
Jun 1, 2021
0
#1110
Personally, I thank my lucky stars every time I get a chance to mate someone.
Jun 1, 2021
0
#1111
I enjoy endgames. I'm often disappointed with how early some opponents resign, even when they've blundered a minor piece like a knight. That's their choice, but learning to fight back when down material is a chess skill that's worth developing. Fighting for a draw is valid. I'm here to learn and develop my chess skills, so I'll resign only when I no longer think I can salvage a draw, or learn anything further from the game. Many opponents have poor endgame skills and aren't able to convert even obviously winning positions, which isn't helped by them or their opponents resigning too early. The only thing I really object to is players rage-quitting or abandoning their game in a losing position without resigning. THAT is poor sportsmanship. Playing to the end is just sport.
Jun 1, 2021
0
#1112
Dentangle wrote:
I enjoy endgames. I'm often disappointed with how early some opponents resign, even when they've blundered a minor piece like a knight. That's their choice, but learning to fight back when down material is a chess skill that's worth developing. Fighting for a draw is valid. I'm here to learn and develop my chess skills, so I'll resign only when I no longer think I can salvage a draw, or learn anything further from the game. Many opponents have poor endgame skills and aren't able to convert even obviously winning positions, which isn't helped by them or their opponents resigning too early. The only thing I really object to is players rage-quitting or abandoning their game in a losing position without resigning. THAT is poor sportsmanship. Playing to the end is just sport.
+1
Mating with a King and Rook versus a King is a requirement with my juniors. Once it becomes second nature they can promote to a Rook rather than a Queen in certain endings with confidence.
There is a big difference between resigning when losing in an Arena tournament but in a match you owe it to your teammates to not resign until the match is decided. Here is a game where I held on a got a draw with the 50 move rule.
Chess: DerekDHarvey vs predadan79 - 326504024 - Chess.com
I think 11 mistakes and 4 blunders is okay for a 128 move game.
Why are these threads even a thing...
Jun 3, 2021
0
#1118
MegaGamer15 wrote:
Why are these threads even a thing...
Good question. A question that will never be answered.
LOCKKKKK
wornaki wrote:
A few times here I've stumbled upon non resigning people below 1200 in blitz. Granted, I play mostly 3+2 and increment accumulates if you know how to use it. Not to mention that it's blitz, so swindles and blundering are very much part of the nature of blitz. However...
As an appeal to all of you who never resign lost positions, not even down on time and on the board, please stop that. I know, I know, your opponent has to convert, it's within the rules, you want to see the checkmate pattern they go for to mate you, it's funny to see their blundering. But please, don't. Resign lost positions and play another game. If you can't resist forcing your opponent to convert 2 pieces up in the hopes of swindling (sometimes you will succeed in this) or you want to test if your opponent can mate you R+K vs K or B+K+k vs K, please... at least make it known in the chat, and do it infrequently, the more infrequently, the better.
I've recently blocked one player who forced me to mate him R+K vs K, and in the end I didn't (couldn't care). He got his well fought draw and I got to block him. Don't be that kind of beginner player. Unless you're playing a very important game (it doesn't even have to be rated to be important) and the consensus is that no quarter will be given, don't become the obnoxious non resigner.
Follow good etiquette. Acknowledge you're lost, resign and play your next game. If you ever play chess people OTB in either rapid or classical chess and you routinely don't resign obviously lost positions, your social standing in whatever serious chess scene will take a dive. It's all fun and whatnot in blitz over the internet. Heck, if there is no increment, flagging is part of the game... but please, don't get those attitudes in classical/rapid chess OTB. Learn to resign gracefully and become an upright chess citizen.
Rather someone resigns or not is not, and should not be any of your business.