Drawn position y/n?
Looks like a draw all day. So hard to win with opposite bishops and only pawns. I recently drew a game where I had 2 connected passed pawns and bishop vs opposite bishop. There's no way to make progress.
Yes, I would be pretty confident I could draw this with white against anyone.
Having said that, your opponent was within his rights to play on.
When you say you lost on time, I immediately assume this is a blitz game with no increment. In a regular games, yes, a clear draw with even just adequate play. In blitz or fast time control, though, then time becomes a factor. If your opponent has much more time, it is a valid strategy to try to win by the clock.
You might argue that winning by time doesn't show who the better chess player is, but managing the clock is just as important as managing your pieces. If you play faster, use less time but get in a worse position and lose, how is that different from playing slower, using more time and then ultimately losing by the clock?
Maybe this wasn't a blitz game, but the general point remains. Just something to keep in mind.
thanks guys. We reached the position with 8-9 mins left on my clock, and 16-17 on opponents. He called me a "moron" for offering a draw, and then shuffled his pieces for 8 minutes until I lost. 42 moves into the 50 move rule, and Final times were 0 on my clock and 4 minutes on his. I was pretty livid
You spent 8 minutes making 42 moves in that position? Hmm.
Also if the position is repeated 3 times you can claim a draw. So in the future move as little as possible. For example Kf2-g2-f2 over and over and if the black king and pawns come down, then switch to Bb5-c4-b5 over and over.
yes the position above is move 37. clocks at 8m - 16m, I run out of time on move 82. I was quite frustrated and bitter, and considered it unsportsmanlike for an opponent to play on with no chance to win, save on time. I don't believe an OTB opponent would ever behave as such. Especially as he taunts me during this time.
to clarify, I don't think there's anything wrong with losing on time, and if I'd only had 1 or 2 minutes left instead of 8, then id be more okay with it. But when you literally have nothing to play for and just aimlessly shuffle to avoid 3 repetition until your opponent times out.. Tactless
Along the lines of what SmithyQ was saying, even though this is a draw with correct play, your opponent judged (apparently correctly) that there were practical winning chances.
There's an old story about a game with Fischer where Fischer is a pawn up and his opponent offers him a draw. Fischer says something to the effect of "I don't know if it's a win, but I have an extra pawn so lets keep playing." Later the game was drawn, but the point is the theoretical evaluation is not the same as the practical evaluation. It's ok to try for a win from a drawn position if you think you have chances. And if you're on the defending side of a drawn position, don't relax just because it "should" be a draw.
to clarify, I don't think there's anything wrong with losing on time, and if I'd only had 1 or 2 minutes left instead of 8, then id be more okay with it. But when you literally have nothing to play for and just aimlessly shuffle to avoid 3 repetition until your opponent times out.. Tactless
Well, on move 47 you inexplicably offer him a 2nd pawn. After that maybe the position really is a win. He doesn't take the pawn, but maybe it was moves like that which gave him hope.
Oh, and the final position is a win for him.
Chin, thank you for the reminder that a theoretical win/draw is not the same as a practical win/draw. i just gotta get better I guess
Once the king is in the corner like that, your bishop is in danger of being overworked. After 81.Bc4 Be5 black's plan is Kg3-h3-g4 winning both pawns. If the bishop defends the kingside, then black has that same sacrifice idea with c4 to create a passed pawn.
On move 43 you can play Bd3-c4 over and over. The only time you'd not is if black plays h5 (you ignore that) but then if he captures on g4 you would recapture. Other than that I think there's literally no legal combination of moves to stop the Bd3-c4 shuffle i.e. you could play it blindfold without even being told your opponent's moves.
Chin, thank you for the reminder that a theoretical win/draw is not the same as a practical win/draw. i just gotta get better I guess
Carlsen is (or at least was) notorious for beating top pros in technically drawn endgames by finding ways to put pressure on them to keep being accurate. It happens to all of us
And I don't make the blindfold comment to be rude... I make it because it's an important idea... the idea of a fortress (which is a chess term). The idea of looking at a position from the point of view of your opponent, and sometimes you see that if you don't change anything, then they can't make progress. If you don't see that idea, then it's easy to get nervous and start moving yourself out of position.
Naw didn't take it as rude at all. If anything I was surprised you went through the effort of finding the full game and giving a solid critique.
With best play, this is a draw. But in a timed game, the opponent has every right to play on.
If you don't like losing on time in positions you consider to be dead drawn, play with an increment. That way, you play mindless moves for 50 moves, gain time on the clock, then declare the draw because your opponent hasn't made any progress.