Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

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Roger de Coverly
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Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Roger de Coverly » Fri Mar 08, 2019 3:45 pm

In today's game in the World teams, Adams accepted a draw offer in a position where his opponent's previous move was an error according to the engines.

I expect we've all done that, particularly in positions where we've been looking to achieve a drawn outcome.

One of my worse ones is accepting a draw as White to move in this position.



Black's last move was Qb3-d5 with a draw offer.

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Geoff Chandler » Fri Mar 08, 2019 3:52 pm

Hi Roger,

(OOPS!)

I have a rule of thumb.

Never resign or accept an offered draw if you have a check in the position.

Phil Makepeace
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Phil Makepeace » Fri Mar 08, 2019 4:43 pm

In deference to the thread-starter, this was my first ever 4NCL game. 36... Nd4 with a draw offer was quite something.


Reg Clucas
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Reg Clucas » Fri Mar 08, 2019 4:56 pm

I had one with a similar theme. It didn't actually involve a draw offer, though the game was eventually drawn. Particularly annoying as my opponent was a FM, so I missed a good scalp. In this position he played ...Ne5?? to which I replied Qf6??
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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Fri Mar 08, 2019 5:06 pm

I can see why that happened - easy to miss that after 1....Ne5 2Rd8+ Kg7 the f8 square is no longer covered by Black's R!
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sat Mar 09, 2019 10:45 am

It is easy to do though. I offered one opponent a draw and he glared at me and played the winning move. After I resigned, I apologized profusely and said I'd totally missed it! You do get people offering draws where you are material up and/or attacking...

Matt Fletcher
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Matt Fletcher » Sat Mar 09, 2019 11:21 am

I don't have the position but I distinctly remember a game (though I may be slightly mis-remembering some of the exact details) that a county teammate of mine played in the British Championship (probably under 10 / 11). He'd been struggling after a dodgy opening, got back into it slightly in the middlegame and tactically offered a draw despite being somewhat down on material.

While his opponent was considering the offer, my friend realised that he had mate in 3 and started crying. His opponent thought for a bit longer, then played a move and offered the draw back!

So my friend instantly refused, cheered up, and played his mating sequence... I think the result stood, despite his opponent's protestations.

Nick Ivell
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Nick Ivell » Sat Mar 09, 2019 12:21 pm

The first time I played the late George Ellison, doyen of Fylde chess, I was 12 years old. He was a much stronger player than me at that time. Nevertheless, he ending up in a stone-cold lost same-coloured bishop ending a pawn down. I was coasting to victory.

Then he offered a draw! I found the courage to turn the offer down and close the game out.

What do people think of draw offers in a frankly lost position? My feeling is that it was poor etiquette. George was using his reputation to intimidate a young opponent.

All part of the game I suppose...

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sat Mar 09, 2019 5:24 pm

"What do people think of draw offers in a frankly lost position? My feeling is that it was poor etiquette."

Agreed!

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sat Mar 09, 2019 5:51 pm

Nick Ivell wrote:
Sat Mar 09, 2019 12:21 pm
What do people think of draw offers in a frankly lost position?
If you are playing without increments and your winning opponent is really short of time, it's a way of indicating that you would accept an "unable to win" claim, were the opponent to make one. With increments, you should probably assume the opponent is good enough to play at 10,15 or 30 seconds a move, and not make such an offer.

Stewart Reuben
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Stewart Reuben » Sun Mar 10, 2019 2:33 pm

A 13 or 14 year old offered me a draw when he stood much worse and had no counter-play. His father got quite annoyed with me when I just laughed.

An adult opponent offered me a draw when I stood much better. After I had won, I asked him why he had offered me a draw in such a poor position. He responded, Wel, some of my opponents are stupid.'

Off topic. I was playing in a weekend Swiss. A player resigned. I was the first to reach the board to show him he had a forced mate in 3. The Alice Mate, 1 Ne7+ Kh8 2 Qxh7+ Kxh7 3 Rh4#

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:33 pm

Alice, or Anastasia?
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Stewart Reuben
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Stewart Reuben » Sun Mar 10, 2019 8:58 pm

I've forgotten. I first heard of it in French.

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Mon Mar 11, 2019 8:12 am

Anastasia - I think. I have been trying to get the finish for years in a proper game and finally did it a couple of years ago.

Malcolm Clarke
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Re: Offering draws with a blunder or dodgy move

Post by Malcolm Clarke » Mon Mar 11, 2019 10:21 pm

I have known a player offer a draw when a whole queen down, although I think that in this instance the player was well under 100 playing strength and had not taken stock of the position. This season I have seen a player win a game despite being a queen for a minor piece down

I think a few years ago the game Glenn Lambert v Alexander Kotov was discussed on here, where I believe Lambert offered a draw, Kotov refused and was adamant he was winning whereupon Lambert resigned when it was discovered later he had a winning combination which shows that even strong players can misjudge situations.

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