How does respect work in chess?

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bear_claws

Here's some context:

In the first round at the Chess24 Banter Blitz cup in 2019, GM Pepe Cuenca ended up winning 9 points to 0 against GM Levan Pantsulaia. Was that a demonstration of disrespect? Was GM Cuenca supposed to lose on purpose to avoid winning with that score? Are other GMs (like Carlsen, Nakamura or MVL) subject to this kind of standard? Do people deliberately win or lose against them to avoid ruffling their egos?

In the second round, GM Cuenca was up against GM Carlsen. The first match was streamed by GM Carlsen and later, analyzed by Agadmator (both links below). GM Carlsen said (more or less): "GM Cuenca got 9-0 in the first round. You can't get a better score than that. So I'll start with a quick attack and show little to no respect." In the end, GM Carlsen won with 8 1/2 points to 1/2 point against GM Cuenca. Is that also a demonstration of disrespect? Should GM Carlsen refrain from going 100% against his opponent to avoid such a score? What does it mean to play "with little to no respect"?

Also, in a more generalized sense: What is it about the way a person plays chess that makes it disrespectful? I know there are some rules (for example: shaking your opponent's hand before and after a game). Is winning 9 to 0 another one? Is it an unwritten rule? Do you go with your opponent's ego? Is a more aggressive strategy seen as disrespectful?

Thanks to everyone and have a great day!

GM Carlsen's stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh6OIK-ynz4

Agadmator's analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2D3nanrmyw

llamonade2
bear_claws wrote:

Here's some context:

In the first round at the Chess24 Banter Blitz cup in 2019, GM Pepe Cuenca ended up winning 9 points to 0 against GM Levan Pantsulaia. Was that a demonstration of disrespect? Was GM Cuenca supposed to lose on purpose to avoid winning with that score?

No. In fact I think the general public sometimes misunderstands how fiercely competitive chess is. In a way, trying to absolutely crush your opponent is showing respect. To do otherwise is disrespect, which leads into the next question below.

 

bear_claws wrote:

GM Carlsen said (more or less): "GM Cuenca got 9-0 in the first round. You can't get a better score than that. So I'll start with a quick attack and show little to no respect." In the end, GM Carlsen won with 8 1/2 points to 1/2 point against GM Cuenca.

What does it mean to play "with little to no respect"?

In this context Carlsen was showing "no respect" by playing what is essentially a high risk high reward style. If the opponent defends correctly, Carlsen will have a bad position. If the opponent is overwhelmed by the aggression, then the opponent will lose quickly.

In particular playing a 2nd or 3rd tier opening is showing less-than-maximum respect. Playing something even worse can even be an attempt to provoke or humiliate the opponent. For example the bongcloud or 1.g4 at the GM level would be highly provocative / very disrespectful.

 

bear_claws wrote:

Also, in a more generalized sense: What is it about the way a person plays chess that makes it disrespectful? I know there are some rules (for example: shaking your opponent's hand before and after a game). Is winning 9 to 0 another one? Is it an unwritten rule? Do you go with your opponent's ego? Is a more aggressive strategy seen as disrespectful?

Thanks to everyone and have a great day!

Anything that's disrespectful in "real life" is also disrespectful in a chess competition, so sure, refusing to shake someone's hand can be that.

As for chess-specific things, really the only thing I can think of is high-risk play. I recall a story about Korchnoi, who had been winning, made some error and now the game was a draw. He showed disrespect to his opponent by continuing to make inaccurate moves over and over, pushing the game as far as possible close to losing for himself all while keeping it a draw.

bear_claws

Thank you for your answer, Chebyshevv. I understand better now, but I still have a few questions:

1) If GM Cuenca didn't disrespect GM Pantsulaia, why would GM Carlsen want to disrespect GM Cuenca? Did GM Cuenca do anything to warrant this from GM Carlsen? Was it just the challenge of going up against someone who dominated their previous opponent?

2) I know the players can affect the outcome of a game through psychology. Did GM Carlsen "show little to no respect" to taunt or intimidate his opponent during the game? What is the limit between the usual taunting and blatant disrespect?

3) If it's blatant disrespect, are there any consequences? Does GM Carlsen get away with it because no one can do anything about it? Hypothetically, if GM Carlsen were to taunt his opponent in a tournament the same way he taunted GM Fressinet in the game "Too weak, too slow" (link below), could the referee give the win to his opponent? Would the game be aborted? Would nothing happen?

Have a great day!

The game "Too weak, too slow" : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY27lgnPKWI

llamonade2

1) Because Carlsen thinks he's better than Cuenca
2) Maybe, and the limit depends on the people and situation
3) In a FIDE game if you talk to your opponent during the game you'll probably be warned then penalized.

bear_claws

Thank you both, Chebyshevv and Woollensock, for answering. I've asked this question around and no one was really able to answer me. So, it means a lot to get some explanations.

Now, back to the main subject, it seems like there's a recurrent theme of "Don't look at GM Carlsen for examples of respect in chess, if there is any respect in chess at all". I get that now, but I still have one more question:

During the World Rapid and Blitz Championship in 2018, GM Carlsen started a game by playing the scholar's mate against IM Shamsiddin Vokhidov. In the analysis done by Agadmator (link below), he mentions that GM Carlsen lost a previous game on time (I'm not sure if that game was against IM Vokhidov) and that GM Carlsen may have used the scholar's mate as a way to lash out for the previous loss. Regardless of his reasons, trying the scholar's mate on someone who's titled must be a huge mark of disrespect, no? Is GM Carlsen cockier and more disrespectful than the norm of chess players or is he an accurate representation of the general chess player? Is there a rank of disrespectfulness? For example, from the least to the most disrespectful:
1) Talking trash in chat boxes during an online game
2) Not shaking your opponent's hand before and after a game
3) "High risk, High reward" strategies
4) Controlling the win or loss of a game and 2nd & 3rd tier openings
5) Bongcloud and 1. g4

Thank you very much and have a great day!

Agadmator's analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JIGvilwRSk