Hi Tyson,
HMM, not sure I agree entirely with you hear. Draw offering has certainly
changed since the early 90's when I began my career, much later than your own,
of course.
However, since about 2010 or so, I often rarely if ever acknowledge a draw
offer. My response, talking, reaction over the board has massively changed over
the past 8 years and I've become somewhat sullen and unresponsive if such
things are suggested.
With draw offers, I never say yes, think about it, nor even show that I've
heard. I think there is a big psychological play in this. Obviously, if there
is a three-fold repetition, I often say "well, there's no other choice" or "OK,
I think that is acceptable" or some other pithy remark. But if the position is
uncertain, the position is imbalanced, I never respond. In a match situation,
upon a draw offer, my immediate response tends to be "what is the match
situation" and put the onus on my opponent to find out what the score is and
will not respond until he has relayed that information to me.
I have to say though, that 90% of the time, I tend to respond to a draw offer
by making a move. To which, I've had a numerous amount of hilarious responses.
Such as repeating my move in an increduious voice, to "you decline the offer
then", to "I take that as a no then", to "thanks for the reply" to "I guess I'm
worse than if you don't want the draw" and other such rejoinders.
Grandmaster Sergei Movsesian (2633) told me, whilst I was playing the Czech
Open in 2008, that the "the best response to a draw offer is to make a move"
and I thoroughly agree, abide by and uphold that notion.
Cheers,
Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of mordue andrew ;(Redacted
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Sent: 20 October 2018 10:10
To: usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [usbca_chess] Re: Chess Problems From Braille Chess Magazine
David, Chris et al,
Interesting points.
Against sighted players I've never announced check, although very occasionally
I've had to prompt opponents who didn't realise they were in check. One of them
had to resign immediately because they were losing a whole Queen! I've mated a
few who didn't even realise it until I said it. Once was with two Knights after
a mere 13 moves. My startled opponent had spent an hour and a quarter over his
first 12 moves and was already down to an average of a minute per move up to
move 42.
Against VH players I do usually announce check and checkmate. This is simply to
ensure that we have matching positions. If it isn't check (or checkmate) then
why not? Having said that in my experience most VH players these days put the
board in plain view, and the number of discrepancies I've personally had over
30 years can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
Generally speaking most experienced players, including VH, do immediately
appreciate a move is check. More likely they may have missed the tactical
consequences if such a check is unexpected.
As a slight aside, one should always acknowledge draw offers immediately. Not
only is it a courtesy, but it reassures the opponent that their offer has been
heard. I've heard of several occasions upon which draw offers went unheeded
because they were unheard. Conversely, yesterday I read about an occasion on
which former World Champion Tigran Petrosian, on the same move, offered a draw
in three different languages. His opponent ignored the first two and upon the
third, said in English, shouted back "NO!" Ironically Petrosian was slightly
deaf and in later years switched off his deaf aid if the venue proved to be too
noisy. Today there is a clear rule that sighted players must, at the least,
acknowledge a draw offer by writing down an equals (=) sign on their
scoresheet. If not, the opponent is entitled to repeat the offer.
Finally offering a draw whilst doing a problem or puzzle is entirely at the
solver's discretion. It could be well past their mealtime!
Regards,
Tyson
On 20 October 2018 at 05:30 David Rosenkoetter
<davidrosenkoetter260@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Chris and everyone..
I agree. I don't announce checkmate until I've made and announced the
move that puts my opponent's king there.
I've played at both club and national events where "check" and "mate"
are the only two things that are announced during a game unless the
players quietly discuss "draw." But, as far as including "check" or
"mate" along with the announcement of my move per the rules for blind
players, I say them as a courtesy.
David
On 10/19/18, Chris Ross <c.ross@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Ah, so should that open up the further discussion to when you should
announce mate, in that, “mate in X moves” or even when you
check-mate your opponent, on your move, should you announce “move”
and then “check-mate/mate”?
I never do. I make my move, hit the clock and wait for my opponent
to comment/shake my hand.
Which then leads onto the question to whether a player should
announce “check”. I know a player does not have to, has no
obligation, but should one?
Again, in the past 10 years, I rarely, if ever, announce “check”.
And I find that when I play internationally, players never ever announce
“check”.
I encounter it in local league games from time to time, but never in
4NCL, the London league or I would say against ECF-graded players
200+ (ELO 2200 plus).
Sure, against a strong opponent, there is no need to announce check,
but is that a culture thing, a traditional, trend, politeness or something
else?
AN intriguing question to all points...
As an example only. In the recent Team World Cup recently in
Bulgaria, I noticed that all of my team mates announced “check” when
it was indeed check. But yet, not once on the top board, where I was
playing, against a lower ranked player, or the stronger players, was check
once mentioned.
Again, is that because it was top board or just not the thing to do
on board 1.
Interesting questions...
Cheers,
Chris
From: usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of mordue andrew ;
(Redacted sender "tyson.mordue" for DMARC)
Sent: 19 October 2018 22:25
To: usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [usbca_chess] Re: Chess Problems From Braille Chess
Magazine
Charles et al,
You would normally be notified of whose move it is and the object of
the problem. However, it is very rare in a problem (defined as an
artificial or constructed position rather than a real position which
would then go by the appellation of puzzle) for it to be Black to
move. Generally it should say either White to play and mate in x
moves, or White to play and win, or White to play and draw. The latter two
may also be regarded as "studies".
I had a friend who sent me a problem the other day with Black only
having two pieces and White an enormous material plus. Because he
hadn't told me I assumed it was a mate in two and quickly, or so I
thought, solved the problem and wrote back. He then told me it was a
mate in three, whereupon I found the subtle riposte to my solution.
I readjusted my reply accordingly and then checked on Deep Rybka.
That quickly came up with three 3-move solutions, including mine, so
the problem was actually 'cooked'. A 'cook' in a chess.problem
occurs when there are multiple solutions that the composer did not intend
to happen.
At Paignton one year I was sitting next to an amateur problemist who
announced 'mate in three'. His discomfited opponent (White) retorted
"Well, play it then!" and the composer played move 1 of his intended
sequence.
There came the forced reply, then move 2 and White resigned.
Meanwhile I was grinning away because I had seen the mate in two!
The moral: Never announce a mate just in case you're wrong. Play it out.
Hope this helps now and in the future.
Regards,
Tyson
On 19 October 2018 at 22:00 Charles Rivard <wee1sman@xxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:wee1sman@xxxxxxxxxx> > wrote:
One thing I notice about their chess problems is that they never let
you know whose move it is. Is it always White’s move?
If you think you're finished, you! really! are! finished!!
From: mordue andrew (Redacted sender
<mailto:dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
"tyson.mordue" for DMARC)
Sent: Friday, October 19, 2018 2:14 PM
To: usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ;
Jim <mailto:jhomme1028@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [usbca_chess] Re: Chess Problems From Braille Chess
Magazine
Hello Jim,
Quite happy to help. Just bear in mind the time difference between
the UK and the US. I'm writing this at 8.10 in the evening.
If possible please quote the problem composer and the year it was
first published. The BCM may not give these details but if they do
then I can try double-checking if necessary.
Regards,
Tyson
On 19 October 2018 at 20:07 Jim <jhomme1028@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:jhomme1028@xxxxxxxxx> > wrote:
Hi,
I want to see if I can solve any of the problems in Braille Chess
Magazine. If I get stuck understanding the notation, does anyone
here want to answer questions about it?
Thanks.
Jim
--
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http://www.jimhommewebdev.com
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