Stubborn People and Chess

BlueEyedRook v. NN
April 2009
www.Redhotpawn.com

Black to play and win (?)

I have commented on this issue a couple times, but it never ceases to frustrate me.
http://blueeyedrook.blogspot.com/2006/07/throwing-in-towel.html

Why do people not resign clearly lost games?

Take the position above. How can anyone with a chess rating over 800 lose this playing white -- yet black still plays on.

I would have more sympathy for black if there was blitz match where black can still win by white's time running out, but this is a correspondence match -- and a generous one too with a week or so to make moves.

I understand egos bruise easily (and indeed the player playing black -- no need to give names) is ranked higher than me, but at the same time what is the point is dragging this on?

Chess Flash = Awesome

Found this awesome new feature that allows you to display full games. The site's name is http://chessflash.com/ and the creator is Glenn Wilson (who has his own impressive chess blog as well http://glennwilson.com/chess/). If you haven't checked it out -- do so! I think (like me) you'll be very impressed.

I am still learning the ropes of this feature so I started off with the game below -- a game simply 8 moves long!



... And this was at a correspondence chess website. (I knew after 1...a6 that I was in for something interesting!).

Tactical Problem

Found this nice tactical puzzle the other day. It highlights the devestating effects of having two rooks (doubled up) on the seventh rank.














White to Move

1. Bh6! is decisive (see below). Black has no real options from here.














1... Rg8 guards the g7-pawn for one more turn, but doesn't do anything when 2. Re7 is played (see below).














1... gxh6 also leads to disaster after 2. Re7 (see below).














And black is replyless. If he doesn't move his f8-rook, 3. Rxh7+ and 4. Rg7# ensues. Moving the rook is equally unpleasant for black. 2... Rfd8 (for example) leads to 3. Rxh8+ Kg8. 4. Nxf6+ (see below).