Forums

Why do master chess players resign when they're about to lose?

Sort:
Avatar of Past_Pawn
Past_Pawn
Sep 25, 2011
0
#21

You can only sing if your a fat lady.

Avatar of zman1234
zman1234
Sep 25, 2011
0
#22
zman1234 wrote:

Yeah.... I had this match at Jr. High Nationals last year in the last round where my opponent just sat there and waited for about 30 minutes, waiting for his time to run out. I finally told him:

" I am sorry to be rude, but I have a schedule to keep, so can you please resign or make your move?" (It was a mate in one.) He also offered a draw!

 I wasn't finished! =D

He sat there for another minute, sighed, and made his only move. I had a bead of sweat coming down my eye, and right  before I moved........ MY TIME RAN OUT! IT WAS A Draw from insufficient material! LOL JK!! I WON BY CHECKMATE!!!

Avatar of AndyClifton
AndyClifton
Sep 25, 2011
0
#23

You are a madcap, zman. Smile

Avatar of Baldr
Baldr
Sep 25, 2011
0
#24

A long time ago, me and three friends used to play together fairly often.  We were all roughly even in skill.  One of the players would never resign.  No matter how far down he was, no matter how clear it was that he was going to lose, he would play it out.

Lets call him John.

Another member of our group was very irritated by this.  I'll call him Bob.

One day, Bob and John were playing.  John blundered and lost his queen to a tactic, but kept playing.  He was down material and position.  Soon, Bob was able to pick up more material, and then more, and John had nothing but a few unconnected pawns - but he still wouldn't resign.

Bob got to a position with an easy one move win, but didn't take it.  he ran around picking off the last of John's pawns.  He moved powns to the 7th rank where they could easily promote, then left them there to advance another pawn.  He made pointless checks that just chased John's king around the board.  And he was very careful not to give a checkmate or a stalemate.

John was getting mad.  "Just mate me and end the game".  Bob told him "No, you can end the game by resigning.  You always refuse to resign.  If you won't resign, I'm going to stretch out your misery as long as I can.  And every time I beat you from here out, I'm going to do it again, until you learn to resign when your position is hopeless."

It pissed John off, but it taught him a lesson.  Don't be a jerk, or you'll get treated like a jerk.

Avatar of zman1234
zman1234
Sep 25, 2011
0
#25
AndyClifton wrote:

You are a madcap, zman.

 OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH YEEEAAAHHH!!!!

Avatar of cyber-sub-zero
cyber-sub-zero
Nov 20, 2011
0
#26

Garry Kasparov is my favorite world champion

Avatar of AndyClifton
AndyClifton
Nov 20, 2011
0
#27

Avatar of Arctor
Arctor
Nov 20, 2011
0
#28
cyber-sub-zero wrote:

Garry Kasparov is my favorite world champion

 OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH YEEEAAAHHH!!!!

Avatar of Past_Pawn
Past_Pawn
Aug 8, 2013
0
#29

Most masters and Gmaster resign before mate, unless they don't see it comimg. That way they have never been mated (virgin). 

Avatar of k_kostov
k_kostov
Aug 8, 2013
0
#30

They resign because they're pragmatic - no need to waste time and energy over a lost game. Chess at master level is somewhat professional, believe it or not. Would you work if your efforts are pointless?

Avatar of gordonyoung
gordonyoung
Aug 8, 2013
0
#31

Most people resign if they are about to lose.

Avatar of Seung-hyun
Seung-hyun
Aug 8, 2013
0
#32

it is respectful to resign instead of wasting players time

Avatar of Foridejack
Foridejack
Aug 8, 2013
0
#33

It's in the rules. Stated its bad etiquette to resume once the situation is hopeless

Avatar of Admiral_Kirk
Admiral_Kirk
Aug 8, 2013
0
#34
Baldr wrote:

A long time ago, me and three friends used to play together fairly often.  We were all roughly even in skill.  One of the players would never resign.  No matter how far down he was, no matter how clear it was that he was going to lose, he would play it out.

Lets call him John.

Another member of our group was very irritated by this.  I'll call him Bob.

One day, Bob and John were playing.  John blundered and lost his queen to a tactic, but kept playing.  He was down material and position.  Soon, Bob was able to pick up more material, and then more, and John had nothing but a few unconnected pawns - but he still wouldn't resign.

Bob got to a position with an easy one move win, but didn't take it.  he ran around picking off the last of John's pawns.  He moved powns to the 7th rank where they could easily promote, then left them there to advance another pawn.  He made pointless checks that just chased John's king around the board.  And he was very careful not to give a checkmate or a stalemate.

John was getting mad.  "Just mate me and end the game".  Bob told him "No, you can end the game by resigning.  You always refuse to resign.  If you won't resign, I'm going to stretch out your misery as long as I can.  And every time I beat you from here out, I'm going to do it again, until you learn to resign when your position is hopeless."

It pissed John off, but it taught him a lesson.  Don't be a jerk, or you'll get treated like a jerk.

Great way to teach a lesson.  It's especially useful when it's a casual game and they aren't writing down the moves, because then you could just do a three fold repetition forever.

Avatar of Foridejack
Foridejack
Aug 8, 2013
0
#35

Could John try for a draw

Avatar of Commisarburts
Commisarburts
Aug 8, 2013
0
#36
Baldr wrote:

A long time ago, me and three friends used to play together fairly often.  We were all roughly even in skill.  One of the players would never resign.  No matter how far down he was, no matter how clear it was that he was going to lose, he would play it out.

Lets call him John.

Another member of our group was very irritated by this.  I'll call him Bob.

One day, Bob and John were playing.  John blundered and lost his queen to a tactic, but kept playing.  He was down material and position.  Soon, Bob was able to pick up more material, and then more, and John had nothing but a few unconnected pawns - but he still wouldn't resign.

Bob got to a position with an easy one move win, but didn't take it.  he ran around picking off the last of John's pawns.  He moved powns to the 7th rank where they could easily promote, then left them there to advance another pawn.  He made pointless checks that just chased John's king around the board.  And he was very careful not to give a checkmate or a stalemate.

John was getting mad.  "Just mate me and end the game".  Bob told him "No, you can end the game by resigning.  You always refuse to resign.  If you won't resign, I'm going to stretch out your misery as long as I can.  And every time I beat you from here out, I'm going to do it again, until you learn to resign when your position is hopeless."

It pissed John off, but it taught him a lesson.  Don't be a jerk, or you'll get treated like a jerk.

yeah but bob was probaly pretty annoyned too also this has a flaw,if bob would't mate in 50 moves,it would be a draw

Avatar of Creeten
Creeten
Aug 8, 2013
0
#37
inmaniac wrote:

I am certainly no master, but what annoys me (sometimes) when a guy sticks in there to the bitter end no matter what.  I can see why you might think that you can luck into a stalemate in K+Q vs K, but sometimes its just ridiculous.  For a master, however, I think they respect their opponent enough to know that in a hopeless situation the opponent isn't going to screw it up.  Going past the point of complete hopelessness is pointless since the winner isn't going to screw up and the loser can't come out of the loss.  

I am sorry to hear you think people should just give up when they think they might lose. I, on the other hand, hate it when people resign when they are in a bad position. I feel that they are disrespecting me and the game when they do not try their best to the end.

Avatar of Wallacabayka
Wallacabayka
Aug 8, 2013
0
#38

It's too bad resigning isn't allowed in professional football or basketball games. 

Avatar of chessBBQ
chessBBQ
Aug 8, 2013
0
#39

Masters do that

But mortals like us should avoid resignation as much as possible unless the mate is staring you or you are in an elementary mating ending.There is so much to be learned from these inferior positions

Avatar of Admiral_Kirk
Admiral_Kirk
Aug 8, 2013
0
#40
Commisarburts wrote:
Baldr wrote:

A long time ago, me and three friends used to play together fairly often.  We were all roughly even in skill.  One of the players would never resign.  No matter how far down he was, no matter how clear it was that he was going to lose, he would play it out.

...

It pissed John off, but it taught him a lesson.  Don't be a jerk, or you'll get treated like a jerk.

yeah but bob was probaly pretty annoyned too also this has a flaw,if bob would't mate in 50 moves,it would be a draw

Based on Baldr's description, they probably were not taking notation.  When someone doesn't take notation, they forfeit the right to claim a draw by the 50 move rule or the three-fold repetition rule.