Was my opponent right to resign?

Was my opponent right to resign?

Only Chess

Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.

o
Paralysed analyst

On a ship of fools

Joined
26 May 04
Moves
25780
22 Nov 18

Hello, I've just come back to the site after a number of years away and not playing at all.

I took up a few games, and was a little surprised this morning to discover I'd won one where I'd been struggling a bit. I had finally got my remaining pieces into a better position, but my own feeling had been that I was still teetering and there was a high risk I wouldn't get a chance to make the definitive moves.

So, not least because I'm so out of practice, I'd be genuinely interested in people's thoughts about how the game was poised when it ended.

Game 12966262

R
Acts 13:48

California

Joined
21 May 03
Moves
227331
23 Nov 18

@orfeo said
Hello, I've just come back to the site after a number of years away and not playing at all.

I took up a few games, and was a little surprised this morning to discover I'd won one where I'd been struggling a bit. I had finally got my remaining pieces into a better position, but my own feeling had been that I was still teetering and there was a high risk I wouldn't get a chanc ...[text shortened]... interested in people's thoughts about how the game was poised when it ended.

Game 12966262
No one is abrogated to finish a game in a winning or losing positions. That being said you were probably in a winning position.

s
Fast and Curious

slatington, pa, usa

Joined
28 Dec 04
Moves
53223
23 Nov 18
1 edit

@orfeo said
Hello, I've just come back to the site after a number of years away and not playing at all.

I took up a few games, and was a little surprised this morning to discover I'd won one where I'd been struggling a bit. I had finally got my remaining pieces into a better position, but my own feeling had been that I was still teetering and there was a high risk I wouldn't get a chanc ...[text shortened]... interested in people's thoughts about how the game was poised when it ended.

Game 12966262
Black is a piece up and would have had at least drawing chances, the a6 pawn cannot be allowed to take on g7 so I assume it is black to move in that position so just g7-g6 saves the game and black's pieces get activated: ..............g7-g6,
fxg, fxg and there is no more attack by white. There are even mate threats by black in that position if white does not watch out. The black back rook can give check at the appropriate time and so can the black bishop if white doesn't see the checks coming and it could soon be black mates white.

o
Paralysed analyst

On a ship of fools

Joined
26 May 04
Moves
25780
23 Nov 18

@sonhouse said
Black is a piece up and would have had at least drawing chances, the a6 pawn cannot be allowed to take on g7 so I assume it is black to move in that position so just g7-g6 saves the game and black's pieces get activated: ..............g7-g6,
fxg, fxg and there is no more attack by w ...[text shortened]... can the black bishop if white doesn't see the checks coming and it could soon be black mates white.
Thanks for this. Yes, I had felt that g7-g6 would make my life as White difficult. I would have had to rely on unnecessary aggression by Black in order to break through.

I also looked at whether my Bishop at a1, and the pawns on that diagonal, could do anything, but again that required my opponent to break the holding pattern.

R
Standard memberRemoved

Joined
09 Sep 18
Moves
20590
23 Nov 18

@orfeo
he had material supremacy but he may have run out of attacking ideas I would at least asked for a draw.

D
Losing the Thread

Quarantined World

Joined
27 Oct 04
Moves
87415
23 Nov 18

@orfeo said
Thanks for this. Yes, I had felt that g7-g6 would make my life as White difficult. I would have had to rely on unnecessary aggression by Black in order to break through.

I also looked at whether my Bishop at a1, and the pawns on that diagonal, could do anything, but again that required my opponent to break the holding pattern.
As noted above g7-g6 prevents white's checkmating threats, however it appears your opponent took one look at the position and his spirit was broken.

Mister Why

San Carlos, CA

Joined
21 Feb 12
Moves
6039
23 Nov 18

I think your opponent was still winning. He was up a piece and your bishop on a1 doesn't look too happy. Rb8+ at the very least is going to lead to trouble for white.

o
Paralysed analyst

On a ship of fools

Joined
26 May 04
Moves
25780
23 Nov 18

@deepthought said
As noted above g7-g6 prevents white's checkmating threats, however it appears your opponent took one look at the position and his spirit was broken.
I see what you did there.

e

California

Joined
13 Jun 18
Moves
10255
28 Dec 18

@orfeo

I think Pg6 would make it a battle.
PxP PxP
Ph7? and White will be in a bind to protect the pawn and try to attack. White needs to make his bishop more active. His king is actually more exposed than the Black king! It is safely hiding behind the white pawn.

e4

Joined
06 May 08
Moves
42492
28 Dec 18
1 edit

Black to play resigned.


A good rule of thumb is never resign if you have a check in the position.

1...Rb8+ and White can walk into a mate in one with 2. Kc4 d5 mate.

2. Kc2 Re2+ 3.Kd1 Rb1 is another mate waiting to happen.

Neither are forced but we are witnessing a player resigning
here in a won position so anything can happen in chess.

White's attack look grim but Black can take a check or two to see
if White goes to the wrong square. and stop the attack dead with g6.

Or just play 1....g6 right away.


1...g6 2.fxg6 fxg6 White has nothing and as we have seen his King
in more in danger of getting mated than Black's King.

Chess Librarian

The Stacks

Joined
21 Aug 09
Moves
113598
29 Dec 18

@orfeo

I suspect that your opponent did not see the idea of the black g-pawn moving at all. I'm inclined to like g7-g5 more than g7-g6, but that may simply be a matter of taste.

Sometimes we get caught up in the "narrative" of the game, and it blinds us to the reality of the board and the possibilities that may exist.

R
Standard memberRemoved

Joined
07 Jan 19
Moves
4508
30 Jan 19
1 edit

He might have just missed something while analyzing. It looks scary I guess, but I mean black is completely winning. White isn't really doing anything after black pushes g6. Black has a ton of open files he can play with and the white king is totally exposed. Black's king pretty safe in front of white's h pawn.

So imo, no, he's not right to resign. He had a great position and abruptly put it in the garbage.