Here's what kills me...

Being up a Q and then losing!

True, Paul...but that begs the question.

The scenario is to be up a Q and then losing. 

What "kills" you? I mean, like a Kasparov moment...like a smack yourself on the forehead moment?

There is a technique in chess called "killing counterplay".  Almost all strong players use it.  There is a difference between being up a Q and having a "winning" position, and being up a Q and having a "won" position.

OK, here's another:

You have a won game but you got so absorbed in the play that the clock runs out and you lose.

love this quote,

And the voice on the recorder states, "Everything is fully automated ladies and gentlemen and nothing can go wrong, go wrong, go wrong....

Anyone who has played much has been ahead a Q and then lost the advantage due to blunder, over confidence, losing focus...hey, maybe even the opponent was so good as to overturn his disadvantage.

Doesn't happen often, but when it does...that moment of truth almost makes the hair on my head stand straight up.

I just cleared my block list. I do that once in awhile. Makes me feel magnanimous. Only a nasty god would put people in Hell forever. I give all a second chance. 

Anyway...what kills me today? Hmmm...

How about when playing against someone who fidgets endlessly, takes forever to move (and you are not on a clock), keeps projecting his hand out on his turn as if ready to touch a piece but pulls it back in and repeats everything in an endless loop.

Hah! What a treat.

cabby...you play like that?

Good Grief ! Did they put extra sugar in your coffee again  lol.

Re my games, the timer is set at 15 & 10 but often both players still have over 10 minutes left each by the end of the game. 

• Heart disease,
• Top heavy vending machines
• A hallway of rotating knives
• Falling airplane parts
• The chicken bone that's lodged in my throat
• Thin ice
• Excessive speed
• Alcohol poisoning
• Coke and pop-rocks
• Stray bullets
• The Black Plague
• Falling into the gorilla enclosure at the zoo

As usual, very interesting cabby (lol).

I just had a draw. What kills me is that I had a definite win...closing in for the kill with a rook and two knights...had the K by the nuts...tightening the screws...then BAM!...I screwed it up (oversight that I ought to have seen) the bishop got one of my knights.

So, I forced a draw (sometimes, you can't do that). You might be happy with a draw...but it kills me to settle for one when I "had it in the bag". Like the one that got away. (lol).

Always a next time...

Nice thread.

Here's what kills me - I'm R + N + 3 pawns on the King side, and  I'm not able to stop R + 3 connected pawns on the Queen side. It just drives me crazy, grrrrr 

x

classic

+1

Beautiful! 

I dedicate this one to cabby (you could use some sugar in your coffee, right? lol):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEZDP_NVklc

LOL