English Chess Forum

I know there is a great pleasure to seeing an opponents hand raised in resignation but, sadly, we do have to sometimes give up the ghost ourselves.

The question is, how do you like to go out? I kind of like the clock stopping method myself, although I have found that losses these days annoy me more and I have taken to knocking the pieces off the board.

If the position is totally lost, I just stop my clock, shake hands and say "good game" or something similar.

If the position is still unclear and there is a possibility that my opponent might think that I am trying to agree a draw then I will say " I resign" for clarification but in that sort of position I would normally play on.

Joey Stewart wrote:I have taken to knocking the pieces off the board.

This is common in primary school chess clubs before the children have learnt otherwise.

John Upham wrote:

Joey Stewart wrote:I have taken to knocking the pieces off the board.

This is common in primary school chess clubs before the children have learnt otherwise.

I have known certain adults who frequently knock over the pieces and on one occasion an adult even threw an analogue clock onto the floor!

Not mentioning any names though

It is unreasonable for a child to get angry, its primitive brain cannot comprehend why it lost (in a lot of cases they know so little that you can claim checkmate at any point in the game and they will accept it ) but when I am angry it is usually because of a swindle that was thoroughly undeserved or my opponent has been especially annoying - those types don't really deserve a cordial resignation.

Playing in the open section of Richmond Rapidplay one opponent decided to kick the chair he was sitting on repeatedly after he was checkmated.

It's been quite some time since I had to resign a game but, if memory serves me correctly, I hold out my right hand, nod and say: "Well done."

If I am short on time, I prefer to lose on time.

I do much the same as Tim - a couple of times I've found it difficult to know what to do when I want to resign but my opponent isn't at the board.

I did get confused in one rapidplay tournament a few years ago - my opponent had been holding (if not winning) an ending but had just blundered leaving me with a simple tactic to force Q vs R but with only about 30 seconds to complete the game. As soon as he blundered, he stopped the clocks and held out his hand - I had to check with him that he was resigning rather than acquiescing to a draw.

I like the approach of Gru in Despicable Me 2 - simply whip out a flamethrower and torch the board.

But actually, last time I resigned I just shook hands and congratulated my opponent on a well played game. He was just much better than me.

I get ticked off if I blunder a won position, but I get ticked off with me, not my opponent.

Stop the clock and tip my king over (gently). I've been mulling over the idea of sobbing and begging for clemency but feel it might not cut much ice with my opponents (chess players are an implacable lot). I do try to win graciously by muttering something about having got lucky.

I remember one opponent who was losing against me in a league match. I went to look at the other games and he suddenly leapt up, knocked his king over and ran from the room. Next time I played him, I again got a winning position and wondered why he was playing on, then I remembered. So I walked to the far end of the room and sure enough... I just remembered someone I played twice in tournaments did the same thing.

I have heard that in America a popular way to resign is to remove the board and clock and go home while your opponent is not looking.

"I have heard that in America a popular way to resign is to remove the board and clock and go home while your opponent is not looking."

I hope it's the loser's set etc!

I like the Rick Mayall method. Look at the board in bewilderment, stand up and punch my opponent in the face.

Not that I'd ever do that...honest.