A wise man once said, “Show me a person who doesn’t mind losing and I’ll show you a loser!”
Yes to some, winning is everything. Winning makes you feel good inside, increases your self esteem and heals the body.
Losing, on the other hand, can make a person angry, sad, and upset. Negative feelings can make a person sick as well as undesirable to be around. Since the people who are reading this are chessplayers, you have all had to deal with losing at one time or another. I’d like to help people to have more fun by letting it go.
What am I talking about when I say, “Let it go”? You know how you feel when you win versus how you feel when you lose, but are you aware of how playing chess at RHP affects you “while you are losing” versus “While you are winning”?
Think about your feelings when you logged in today to make your moves. Did you feel remorse because your mind was thinking about a game you were losing? Or did you feel good inside because you were thinking of the games you were winning!?
So here’s my point. There’s no reason to continue playing a game that is considered lost. What’s a “considered lost game”? A game is “considered a lost game” when you are down a lot of material without any compensation. For example, if you are down a piece and have no compensation then it’s as good as a lost game. RESIGN IT!
Why? Certainly not because your opponent wants you too, but because playing lost games are dragging you down. They take resources from you that you could be applying to won games / even games. It makes you feel bad when you keep plodding on day in and day out and keep getting closer and closer to the loss.
I encourage my team to resign lost games and focus on the other ones. Guess what happens when people do this? They end up logging on RHP with only won games / even games to think about playing! They are enjoying chess more and feeling better about themselves.
Perhaps if more people could do this they wouldn’t be so grouchy in the forums. 😉
Cheers
Originally posted by arrakisCan I give this 10 recs!
A wise man once said, “Show me a person who doesn’t mind losing and I’ll show you a loser!”
Yes to some, winning is everything. Winning makes you feel good inside, increases your self esteem and heals the body.
Losing, on the other hand, can make a person angry, sad, and upset. Negative feelings can make a person sick as well as undesirable to be around. ...[text shortened]...
Perhaps if more people could do this they wouldn’t be so grouchy in the forums. 😉
Cheers
I played a County game on Saturday. I was Black, mucked up the opening and had a dreadful position after ten moves. I played on for another 3 1/2 hours and eventually managed to grind out a draw. I could have resigned after an hours play but I feel very proud of myself for fighting on when the position was no fun at all to play.
Originally posted by arrakisI hear what you're saying, and have thought about the exact same thing. but I wonder what such a quitting-mentality does for you besides makes you feel better? nothing of value ever comes easy, and I feel that if I start resigning easily, I also lose a lot of drive. when I get chased into a corner, I put a lot more effort into the game. of course I still lose most of those games, but I also win valuable training time. it's not about winning, it's about persistence and not giving up.
I encourage my team to resign lost games and focus on the other ones. Guess what happens when people do this? They end up logging on RHP with only won games / even games to think about playing! They are enjoying chess more and feeling better about themselves.
Perhaps if more people could do this they wouldn’t be so grouchy in the forums. 😉
Cheers
I'll rather keep the struggle (as far as I can take it), and learn to deal with disappointment better.
Originally posted by wormwoodI completely agree. One of the big problems with online games is that they are too easy to resign because you know that you'll be able to start another one straight away. It helps if you are playing in a clan match or a tournament because at least then there's a reason to try and fight on.
I hear what you're saying, and have thought about the exact same thing. but I wonder what such a quitting-mentality does for you besides makes you feel better? nothing of value ever comes easy, and I feel that if I start resigning easily, I also lose a lot of drive. when I get chased into a corner, I put a lot more effort into the game. of course I still lo ...[text shortened]... r keep the struggle (as far as I can take it), and learn to deal with disappointment better.
What he is saying is that if a game is completely lost don't waste time and energy on it. It's a great rule of thumb. Just like never move a piece twice in the opening.
Every rule of thumb has exceptions and knowing when to do the opposite is a sign of experience.
If someone is resigning because the game didn't go down the 15 move line he has memorized then he is a fool. If a person is down too much material to reasonably hope for salvation and he has 100 other games in progress... It might be time to cut the line and recast.
I completely disagree,you should learn to play on in lost positions and see what resources you can find.It increases your mental mettle,pushes your own fighting ability and also forces the opponent to think a bit,especially when he/she is expecting an easy resignation,its very possible he may blunder back,which has happened a few times to me.
Originally posted by briancronThank you.
What he is saying is that if a game is completely lost don't waste time and energy on it. It's a great rule of thumb. Just like never move a piece twice in the opening.
Every rule of thumb has exceptions and knowing when to do the opposite is a sign of experience.
If someone is resigning because the game didn't go down the 15 move line he has m ...[text shortened]... vation and he has 100 other games in progress... It might be time to cut the line and recast.
Originally posted by arrakisInteresting point, I hate when people don't resign. I'm playing a game now where my opponent dropped a knight for no compensation in the first ten moves but has decided to play on - probably won't be fun for either of us.
Thank you.
I played in a tournament earlier this year where my opponent was Howard Bradley (I think..), in the game where I was white he dropped a knight (pawn fork) and in the game where he was white I dropped a knight (Idiocy) . I PM'd him offering a resignation immediately at this point if he would agree, and he did - we were both happy. 😀 I don't really see the point in carrying out a game in positions where you have little to no chance of winning. Chess is supposed to be fun.
Originally posted by cmsMasterIf it happens in the first ten moves, there's still a lot of play left. I wouldn't usually see such a game as completely lost. I'd rather see it as a challenge, and it can be great as a learning experience as well. I am currently playing a game against a much better player whom I would expect to lose to anyway, and I have blundered a bishop for a pawn in the opening. If it were just about winning, I should resign, but I wouldn't have learned much, or had much fun. Since I never had much hope to win or even draw the game, I am quite relaxed about it, and it doesn't drag me down (I was upset about the blunder itself, but I got over that).
Interesting point, I hate when people don't resign. I'm playing a game now where my opponent dropped a knight for no compensation in the first ten moves but has decided to play on - probably won't be fun for either of us.
I played in a tournament earlier this year where my opponent was Howard Bradley (I think..), in the game where I was white he droppe ...[text shortened]... e in positions where you have little to no chance of winning. Chess is supposed to be fun.
Originally posted by cmsMasterI would never resign just for dropping a knight in the opening. that's just quitting, plain and simple. of course it's most likely a lost game, but there's almost certainly a lot of game left. get a good passed pawn and it's even. coordinate your remaining pieces right, and you suddenly have more fire power on some part of the board and run your opponent over.
Interesting point, I hate when people don't resign. I'm playing a game now where my opponent dropped a knight for no compensation in the first ten moves but has decided to play on - probably won't be fun for either of us.
itsyouthatiadore (1987) dropped a rook in our game a while ago, and we're still playing on. although there's not much chance for him, I think we're both enjoying the game. we're not going on for the win, but for the struggle. it's not over until it's over. I'm searching for the best way to finish him, and he's searching for the best defence. I like that.
a while ago, I had a won game against onyx2006. then he threw everything he had at me, and ran me over. that was fun, even if I lost. I respect him a lot more for that, than if he had just resigned and given me the easy win.
Originally posted by NordlysIf you enjoy playing out a lost game then there's nothing wrong with that. I think I can safely say though that most players don't. They prefer to start another game and use their energy to learn how to prevent getting into those situations in the first place.
If it happens in the first ten moves, there's still a lot of play left. I wouldn't usually see such a game as completely lost. I'd rather see it as a challenge, and it can be great as a learning experience as well. I am currently playing a game against a much better player whom I would expect to lose to anyway, and I have blundered a bishop for a pawn ...[text shortened]... t, and it doesn't drag me down (I was upset about the blunder itself, but I got over that).
Cheers