The psychological impact of a well-timed draw offer from a stronger player..

Then you do not need reminding that the team comes first.

LOL

Captains shouldnt be also playing, but if they are they are supposed to put team interests ahead of their own personal interests, as are all the team members...

 which is why my advice is largely about the motivation for playing, ie, the psychology of it all. You have to get into the attitude that, until you're a master, you're playing to learn and become a stronger player. You might not ever make it up there, but that should be your mentality.

Reb, in Britain most team captains would be playing.  If we needed a draw to win the match and mine was the last game, I'd most likely accept.  However, if there were other games in play, I'd definitely go for the win.  I'd always like my chances if my position is good regardless of my opponent.  You have to be confident to win and if I'm good enough to play on the same board then I should be good enough to play til the death.

What if your draw clinches a win for the team but you are a pawn up in a complicated position and you think you can win the game ? 

If I think I can win, I'll win!

In my experience , significantly higher rated opponents only offer me a draw when they don't like their position , sometimes they are even lost. In some games they see a move I have that is very strong, maybe even winning and hope I dont see it so, offer a draw and hope I accept without examining the position closely. There are other cases. Sometimes all they need is a draw to clinch something they want and so they dont want to risk losing when its not necessary. Sometimes they may not feel well physically and just dont feel like playing. I have also had rapid games in which I might be material up but way behind on the clock and a stronger player would offer a draw realizing that I might be very worried about losing on time. In general , if a stronger player offers you a draw and you dont understand why, be sure to examine the position closely to see why he doesnt like his position. Take your time too because he cannot retract the draw offer.... 

Even if the captain tells you to take the draw ?  ( you are not the captain ) 

Well, for the teams I play for, they're normally happy to leave me to make my own mind up.  I do over-stretch myself sometimes and it does bite me in the ass.  But I make up for it in the games where I play on and do manage to squeeze an advantage out.  More often than not I do win drawn/equal positions.  If it was a team I was new to, and there wasn't a straight win on the board... I suppose I would grudgingly accept. 

That's a bit too simple. 200-400 points is a lot; I think most people can't convert small advantages against people 300 points over their level. Still, people do improve.

I am a 2000 player OTB and I'd be delighted to draw a 2300, I don't think I need to learn how to exploit a small advantage against one of them before I can improve. Exploiting small advantages against 2150s would be a nice goal (besides getting small advantages in the first place ;-))

All that said, the fastest improvers are those kids who think all of their opponents are patzers and their high ratings only mean you can gain a lot of points off them.

Anyway I think that in practice it'd depend on my recent results -- if I lost a few games recently, I'll be extremely happy with the draw, if I won a few recently I won't care much about losing and feel pretty confident about the rest of the game.

I would play it out. If I fail to convert my advantage into a win hopefully my opponent will show me what I did I wrong and then next time I'll win

you should always play the board. if you have a winning position, try and win it even if you are an 800 rated player playing karpov. if you lose, so  what? you will have learned something new and there is always another game to be played the next day

Isn't chess a game of always taking the best move? If the utility of accepting the draw is higher than the utility of declining it, then by that principle you have to take the draw. In that case you could see that draw offer of the player as a mistake.

DeliriumTrigger, your point is well taken, and after you said you can't lose but maybe your opp can, i checked your rating.  haha, you may know what you are talking about a bit more than i do.  :D  very strong player.  but see, someone playing at your level will understand the position MUCH better than someone playing at mine (currently class C, think i play at least Class B chess but it's been a while since my last competition). 

so, a 1545 (me) is offered a draw by a 1900 in a position i don't necessarily understand.  i completely agree that playing on is probably the most rewarding, but when points count *(not rating points, but tourney points) that draw could really help me out and i have a MUCH better chance of losing the game against the 1900 than say a 2300 does against someone stronger than he.  at least i beleive i do, and so that's the only reason i'd consider the draw.  after the offer i would surely examine the position, but if we are both kind of uncomfortable in it and struggle for a plan, chances are the 1900 is going to find a better plan than i do and just go on to crush me.  hence, a 1/2 may benefit me in that specific scenario, and i can go onto my next game having not suffered an embarassing loss.

Well the psychological impact of avoiding a loss is important too.  If you've got another game in the same day, a bad loss in the morning could ruin the whole day for you.  It is tricky and there's a lot to consider.  For me though, I find it easier to make the decision before the game.  I decided in advance that I will play the game to it's natural conclusion so draw offers don't distract me, they don't matter to me.  I suppose you could decide in advance that a draw is good enough for you, regardless of the position... but I think this would lead to playing for a draw and that usually doesn't go well.

When I said I won't lose, but maybe my opponent will, it's pretty much a confidence thing.  Confidence is a huge part of chess.  It's important not to over-stretch after a draw offer, since you've effectively said "No, I'm playing for a win!".  Just continue to play your game, keep in the draw in hand if you can, and see if you can poke him into an error.  Declining a draw has a psychological impact too - your opponent may think you see something he doesn't, or get frustrated at this idiot playing on in a drawn position.  Declining confidently and instantly certainly gives the impression you see something he doesn't!

*Starts plugging in random stuffs into Steiner's formula*

*Plugs in 0.00 =*

So basically you take a draw if the position is equal against higher rated opposition.

My bad if I took the formula *too* literally lol

Have to say guys, I'm enjoying this veyr much. Thanks for all your contributions. Much food for thought here. 

Just like most topics in here,   it completely differs from what kind of player you are.  this is dependant on personal preference

For me, it depends on some "prereq's "

- what is the time left on the clock

- how many moves have been played , in comparison to the 40 move rule

- what were my previous results against this player

- do I know his play style, which can result in a + or - when then pass goes up tempo

- Is it a single match in a tournament or so , or do I play in a team, and is a draw enough for the team to win?

- if this is my adversary's pet opening , maybe I get tempted to show him the ropes

- do I feel comfortable at that particular moment,  or maybe a nervous wreck?

so these are some thoughts which may result in either taking or refusing the draw offer.

for me IRL i have 1850 FIDE , so 400 + would indicate 2250 and upwards.

now if a GM would do the same  under the same circumstances, I may get bold and refuse it all together and try to off this GM,