CHESMAYNE
Resign ++RS
Resign
Link
Give up - surrender - abdicate - ++RS. To acknowledge defeat,
even if not ++CM. Symbol: ++RS.
To ++RS a game is to admit defeat.
A wise person once said that no one ever won a game by resigning. This is true, and while learning to play you
should never ++RS as your opponent might not know how to convert an enormous
advantage into a win. But as you become
more experienced you will normally ++RS when your position is hopeless, and you
think your opponent is strong enough to finish you off. See ‘Notation’. Groucho Marx (1895-1977): “I resign. I wouldn’t want to belong to any club that
would have me as a member”.
Resigning
(symbol, ++RS)
A word about losing is also in order. Many people playing over games by mature
players are puzzled by the fact that ++CM rarely occurs but that
instead either :A or :B resigns. Why does this happen? It is because the loser realized that
his/her position was quite hopeless and that it was a waste of time to
continue. ++RS in chess is really a compliment
to your opponent. Do not start thinking
about resigning as soon as you get into difficulties - think how to get out of
them instead. Only ++RS when you are
sure you have no chance left, when it is quite clear that your opponent knows
how to win and that there is no reasonable chance left of your opponent
blundering away the advantage. You will
learn to judge when such a position has been reached as you obtain experience
and of course you would be quite justified in continuing against a weak player
in positions which would be hopeless against a strong one. Finally, ++RS pleasantly when you have to do
so. It happens to everyone. Turn your KI on his side, thank your
opponent when you say the fatal words “I resign” and give
him/her credit for the good play instead of grumbling about your own mistakes,
blunders, indiscretions and inexactitudes.
01 French: Abandonner. 02 German: Aufgaben. 03 Spanish: Abandonar.
HOW TO RESIGN
GRACEFULLY by Bill Wall
Do you play on in a dead lost position because you
don’t know how to resign gracefully to your “lucky” chess opponent? Do you feel embarrassed to resign too soon
with a large crowd looking over your shoulder? To admit defeat because you were
outplayed or that your opponent is better than you (never mind his higher
rating; you have always been underrated) is unheard of in chess. I have never
seen a chess player whose eyes were not gleaming with murderous revenge after
losing.
The act of resigning gracefully is an art few have
mastered. In theory, the simple task of resigning gracefully consists of
gently, but firmly, picking up your king and laying him on his side while
simultaneously saying, “I resign” in a distinct manner. You then extend your
right hand and congratulate your deserving opponent for a fine game, shaking
his hand with dignity and pride.
In practice, however, other methods of resigning are
more commonly employed. One popular method when using your opponent's pieces is
to gently, but firmly, pick up the king, then hurl it as far as you can across
the tournament room, knocking the rest of the pieces over, while simultaneously
saying a host of profanities in a wild and crazy manner. The opponent's board
sometimes comes crashing down his head as an extra gesture of a well fought
game. Another gesture of the middle finger may follow.
Another popular method of resigning is the extension
of the right arm towards your opponent. At first, the gesture looks like a
friendly handshake. But as the arm gains momentum, the open hand becomes a
closed fist gaining acceleration towards the nose of the unsuspecting opponent.
For hypermodern players, both arms are extended towards the opponent. The hands
stay open but placed around the neck of the opponent who is then shaken
vigorously until the opponent's face turns a dark blue color. Usually, the
tournament director intervenes at this point to make sure the game is over.
Here are some guidelines for chess players on how to act after a hard-fought
game of chess.
FOR THE WINNER
1 Be tolerant. Why tell your opponent how badly he
played? 2 Remember, you never had an inferior position. 3 Tell your opponent he
played well but needs to work on his opening, middlegame, and endgame. 4 Remind
your opponent that he played his moves too fast and careless. 5 Recommend some
beginner chess books to your opponent to improve his play. Books by Reinfeld
should work. 6 Invite him to stay longer and analyze the game for all of his
mistakes. 7 Challenge your opponent to another friendly match at your
convenience. 8 Try not to laugh at your opponent.
FOR THE LOSER
1 Be tolerant. At least you know your opponent got
lucky. 2 Remember, you never had an inferior position (until the blunder of the
last move). 3 Tell your opponent he should have lost because of his poor
opening, middle game, and endgame. 4 Remind your opponent that he played too
slow and delayed the game. 5 Recommend some better playing conditions next
time. 6 Tell your opponent you must go and already late for an appointment
because of his slow play. 7 Challenge your opponent to another revenge match at
a more suitable time. 8 Try not to cry in public.