Let's discuss and provide some guidelines for the lichess team regarding sportsmanship spirit. After my previous discussion topic I got a little idea about resignation and stuff, but I want to have a detailed discussion about sportsmanship spirit. It seems there are rules for the number of moves after which one can resign that depends on strength of player. Can we first develop this correlation? A simple example is that a GM resigning at earlier position can be considered sportsmanship but if a lower rated player resigns early on then it is considered bad sportsmanship. If we have a comprehensive description of the guidelines for sportsmanship the it will be of much helpful to the community. Thank you.
I guess, in a pool of n players you will find n+1 different, incompatible sportsmanship spirits.
It's completely up to everyone to decide when to resign (and if at all). There is a wide spectrum of opinions from strict "Never resign!" through "Onlly resign if you are confident you would win this against a grandmaster with two minutes on the clock" to people who resign as soon as they blunder a knight. Either way, it's their right to resign - or not to - whenever they find it appropriate. I may be annoyed that my opponent kept playing in a hopeless position only hoping for me to run out of time but I have to accept that it's their right if they if such form of a victory can satisfy them.
Probably the best advice is one I saw recently: "Never resign... unless you feel like it." Sure, it was meant as a joke but IMHO there is a deep wisdom in it. You are the only person to judge if it makes sense (to you) to keep playing or not. I usually only keep playing as long as I either feel that I have a reasonable chance for at least a draw or I have some counterplay to try and opportunities to make my opponent's life difficult and "give them a chance to make mistakes".
Another important aspect is if it's a tournament where the result is really important; and even more so if it's a team competition where it's not just your point (or half point) you would be fighting for.
Probably the best advice is one I saw recently: "Never resign... unless you feel like it." Sure, it was meant as a joke but IMHO there is a deep wisdom in it. You are the only person to judge if it makes sense (to you) to keep playing or not. I usually only keep playing as long as I either feel that I have a reasonable chance for at least a draw or I have some counterplay to try and opportunities to make my opponent's life difficult and "give them a chance to make mistakes".
Another important aspect is if it's a tournament where the result is really important; and even more so if it's a team competition where it's not just your point (or half point) you would be fighting for.
Resign - only if you are sure that the position is indefensible, there is no comeback possible and time control does not allow you to flag
do not resign if your opponent is 1 move or 2 from the checkmate, out of politeness, it is better to let your opponent succeed in the checkmate if it is during the midgame and not in the endgame. if you are during the endgame, resign as soon as possible because it is a useless waste of time both for you and for your opponent (for exemple Q+K vs K or R+R+K vs K)
do not resign if your opponent is 1 move or 2 from the checkmate, out of politeness, it is better to let your opponent succeed in the checkmate if it is during the midgame and not in the endgame. if you are during the endgame, resign as soon as possible because it is a useless waste of time both for you and for your opponent (for exemple Q+K vs K or R+R+K vs K)
I often forget about that last part. Let him/her have the mate. It will look good, and it might get you into the book he/she will write in 20 years.
Some people consider winning on time as an unjustifiable swindle. However, I would point out that the word swindle is used positively in chess tradition. It therefore becomes very much a matter of judgement as to how far a player should go in an otherwise lost position. In my case, I certainly think that if a king is able to hide within its own defence or, typically, amongst enemy pawns, then to my mind it is perfectly valid to continue whatever the material imbalance.
And personally, I think people are too ready to claim poor sportsmanship. It is surely up to the player in the weaker position to use his or her own judgement as to when to resign; that player has the right under the rules to play until the bitter end.
My only objection is to players who go outside of the rules, such as leaving the board without resigning, running down the clock with no intention of finishing, and verbal abuse.
And personally, I think people are too ready to claim poor sportsmanship. It is surely up to the player in the weaker position to use his or her own judgement as to when to resign; that player has the right under the rules to play until the bitter end.
My only objection is to players who go outside of the rules, such as leaving the board without resigning, running down the clock with no intention of finishing, and verbal abuse.
How can guidelines be estabilished, if everyone sees it differently ? Who establishes them ? By majority ?
On the eternal question of whether to resign or not, my guideline is this : whether one wants to resign or continue, it is entirely his business. Let him do what he wants, I will adapt. Does he resign ? Thanks. Does he want to continue? I'll spend a couple more minutes to checkmate him.
As for sportsmanship, for me
sportsmanship = play cleanly, recognize defeat and accept it, congratulate the opponent who beats you, don't be rude (leaving the game without resigning, for example, that is rude ). Nothing else.
On the eternal question of whether to resign or not, my guideline is this : whether one wants to resign or continue, it is entirely his business. Let him do what he wants, I will adapt. Does he resign ? Thanks. Does he want to continue? I'll spend a couple more minutes to checkmate him.
As for sportsmanship, for me
sportsmanship = play cleanly, recognize defeat and accept it, congratulate the opponent who beats you, don't be rude (leaving the game without resigning, for example, that is rude ). Nothing else.
As most are saying, I follow exactly the things that are mentioned. I resign only when I feel I cannot fight back, like I am piece down, some pawn down and position is more passive than opponents. Weirdly, I received this message from lichess today:
"In your game history, you have several games where you clearly have intentionally lost the game. Attempts to artificially manipulate your own or someone else's rating are unacceptable.
If this behaviour continues to happen, your account will be restricted."
I have never intentionally lost a game nor have I tried to manipulate my ratings. One can even check my rating graph to get the idea of it.
I am very much confused now, how losing works. If I lose, my account will be restricted.
"In your game history, you have several games where you clearly have intentionally lost the game. Attempts to artificially manipulate your own or someone else's rating are unacceptable.
If this behaviour continues to happen, your account will be restricted."
I have never intentionally lost a game nor have I tried to manipulate my ratings. One can even check my rating graph to get the idea of it.
I am very much confused now, how losing works. If I lose, my account will be restricted.
Resign because of a piece down? Absolutely not; the game balance has changed.
It doesn't matter what rating number a player has, it's never bad sportsmanship to resign , if the losing side can see that the game is over.
Only exception is where a forced Stalemate is possible.
I missed it first, and then got to the same position again.
It wasn't easy to identify first, but when you are focused you would notice these details....
chess.stackexchange.com/questions/23671/examples-of-forced-stalemate
Only exception is where a forced Stalemate is possible.
I missed it first, and then got to the same position again.
It wasn't easy to identify first, but when you are focused you would notice these details....
chess.stackexchange.com/questions/23671/examples-of-forced-stalemate
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