Irritations in Chess

I hope no player on this site, as i have not played against any yet who played or make a conditional move everytime i make a move: that's what i'm irritated.

Hello all,

I'd be interested to know what you think about a situation I just came across, I'm not sure if it is bad chess etiquette (I'm not an experienced player) but it smacked of poor sportsmanship and excessive negativity to me.

Basically, we were 40 moves in, all was even (I was a pawn up) and we both had queens and bishops. The game was there to play for, even though it looked as though I might be able to pass a pawn somewhere down the line. 

 Anyways, my opponent proceeded to check and recheck my king (though without repeating the same position 3 times) without any hope of actually mating or even progressing. Then he asked for a draw. I was surprised, as he had the momentum and my win was far from assured. 

 Am I terribly naive? Is this acceptable gamesmanship? (I usually just play with close friends so these situations are usually sorted out with a bit of teasing etc...) ... I'm sure he was within his rights, but it seems a little against the spirit of a friendly game... 

It is a common situation to me but by far not rude. It is just as rude as promoting to a queen. It is logical and the best move for him (probably).

If there is no place to save a move with your king, you are doomed to draw. So of course he asks for a draw because the position is like it. But if you can hide out somewhere with the king where he can't attack, you definately should.

 fair enough, that set me straight! I feel bad about guilt-tripping him into playing on now!  

Is that acceptable psychological warfare? The guilt-trip? 

i dont agree u say no resign when loss most of piece is irritation...

chess sport is important...

 The perpetual check is part of the game and something to strive for if you do not think yuo can win

Guilting them in to playing on...well..a little rude? acceptable? depends on your opponent I would say

If they are a bud then no sweat psych him all you want...you should know the limit..but with 

someone random I would say it is rude and somewhat unsportsmanlike. 

i hate people who in friendly untimed games (I"m talking about in person, otb games) take absolutely forever to move. it doesn't actually piss me off per se its just i get so bored after a while and its not like when i'm online and can play another game or do something else while i wait. its usually considered rude to distract your opponent with conversation or read a book or something so you just have to sit there.

On the otherhand all of that time to think about a position might help my chess playing in the long run. i'm sure i'd be a better player if i had an actual attention span. 

WJONES4 , I relate to your topics. But as 'guilty party', about eye watching @ OTB Tmt's. Not STARING, nor to be disconcerting, it is because you often see opp's focus. That can save errors, to see them focused on an area you have ignored till then.  I usually analyze with hands around eyes, partly to avoid "tells". Moreso to narrow my own focus. But I know an Expert who always wore a baseball cap to Tmt's as eye cover. Tal watched eyes; perhaps stared, from what I've read. But it led me to wonder what good is watching? Players also have other "tells" as in Poker A club opp scratched his nose each time before trading in the center. It surprised & amused him to be told,"You are going to trade center pawns now". 

***

Are you Sure he was feigning sleep? I had this experience at my first London Tmt. I won first game or two. Then felt "jet lag" catching up to me. Rnd#3 a disaster of play. But #4, final round, I was playing a gentleman exactly 1/2 my rating, when nearing middlegame, my opp noticed me 'nodding off' to sleep at the board, and he might have chosen to think that quite insulting. Perhaps then letting much time tick-off after each of his moves, or just see if I would "sleep thru" to Time Forfeit~! But instead he would tap his clock a bit loud with each move, or cough & so bring me back to consciousness. This continued till the end of the game, that I lost terribly; finally telling him I could Resign but would rather allow him the play to Checkmate (thinking to myself; due to his tremendous sportsmanship to have played on without complaint, & even trying to help me to wake; & also I was pleased for him, for surely not everyday does one get to Checkmate a player who is Twice their own rating~!) And I never did tell him that I was not sleeping with ordinary jet lag. But from it & altitude effects, it had brought on a pre-seizure state that was already making a number of petite 'black-out' type events, whilst at the board. In a way, it was hilariously funny to me afterward to recall; everytime I would black-out, it erased my entire plan & analysis from memory~! It is hard to play that way :) 

***

Perhaps I should have told him? Because I am convinced that is was only due to his superb sportsmanship, to keep repeatedly "waking" me, that it was not able to progress to a seizure right there. And at the time, I was not even in a condition to think that perhaps I should be doing something other than playing Chess at that time. So I was saved by an opponent who went far beyond the call of Ettiquette or expectations. Sometimes our deeds are more important than we know.

****

I guess my long-winded point being, sometimes it is lucky if the opponent is sleeping . . .  Regards, Craig

Smug posture, mocking my slouching ways.

It would be a long story to completely fill you in but yeah I am sure he was feigning 

 maybe they saw the trap and that's why they didn't take the bait?

 Oh my, this one really annoys me!!

What can be really annoying during OTB play is that one spectator who watches your game but is friend with your opponent. OR, not one but several of your opponents friends watch your game. Maybe not annoying as such, but can be a strange affair. 

 fair enough - I think I exposed my naivity in the forum!