I had decided not to tell you this story, because it's unkind to make fun of children, but then Ron Young asked me to and this changed my mind. I guess I'm easily influenced.
Let me say three things quickly before I start:
1. The protagonist (we'll call him Vladimir) is an awesome kid, absolutely top notch, one of my all-time favorites.
2. I think the etiquette surrounding draw offers and chess rules in general is fairly nonobvious, especially to kids, in the sense that sometimes things are absolute and rigid (how to claim three move repetition, when you lose on time and when you don't, once you agree to checkmate the game is over no matter what) and sometimes they require you to make judgment calls, or think about your opponent's motivations, or have some chess experience (when to offer a draw, when you can claim no losing chances). So I think you have to cut kids some slack.
3. Even though I know that 2. is true, I'm more sensitive than average to annoying behavior from the opponent and will complain to the TD at the slightest provocation. (My favorite complaint story: I complained to a TD at the world open a few years ago that it was too cold and asked if they could turn the AC down. The TD put his arm around my shoulders and gave me a half-hug and said "You're just cold because you're female.")
It's 8:30 pm last Saturday, I'm sitting next to Vladimir in the downstairs tournament room of the Marshall. The other 10 kids I brought are upstairs playing blitz and bughouse, also running around and yelling, obviously disturbing the peace of the club somewhat, but having such a terrific time doing so that I can't bring myself to say anything.
Vlad's is the last game going-- he's down two pawns against an expert in a rook, knight, and opposite colored bishop ending. He's sitting motionless at the board, leaning diagonally over it, looking like one of those pointy nosed hunting dogs. I'm very proud of him for fighting so intensely, so I sit next to him to offer moral support and watch.
The knights are traded and Vlad wins one pawn back, now it's rook and opposite colored bishop, and Vlad is down a passed pawn. He offers a draw. His opponent ignores him. A few moves go by. His opponent shuffles the pieces around, trying different ways to infiltrate with his king. It's a complicated position, but Vladimir is defending well. Then, to my horror, Vlad offers another draw. His opponent doesn't flinch.
Maybe an hour later he offers the fourth draw. I'm cringing inside, but I can't decide which is worse: me interfering in their game by telling him to stop, or him continuing to annoy his opponent (who, showing superhuman restraint, does not react in any way). I'm having an energetic internal debate about this when the fifth draw offer comes.
This time Vladimir sticks his hand out across the board, almost directly in his opponent's face, whispers "DRAW" loudly and nervously, and leaves his hand there. I can't help myself, and hiss, "Vladimir, stop!"
To his enormous credit, Vlad draws the game twenty moves later. We have a good conversation on the train home about the rules and etiquette for offering draws and when offering a draw even makes sense. All is good.
The second day of the tournament was a beautiful sunny Sunday, I'm sitting out in the garden behind the Marshall in the afternoon, really enjoying myself, leisurely looking over kids' games with them. Last time I went inside to check on his position, Vladimir was down a pawn and worse against a 1900.
Around 3 pm, he comes out and excitedly announces his opponent agreed to a draw. I congratulate him and return to the game I had been going over.
Five seconds later, his livid opponent storms into the garden, red-faced and eyes-bulging, and says "You stuck out your hand when you were down a piece and one move away from checkmate! Obviously I thought you were resigning! If you don't want to resign, you have to continue the game."
Vladimir freezes, then turns slowly to me and replies, "I said 'Draw?' and he shook my hand. That ends the game. Those are the rules." His voice is very close to cracking. The opponent counters that if he said draw, he whispered it. Vladimir shrugs at this possibility.
Both of them look at me for a decision, and I can't help myself, I start laughing, and so do all the kids sitting with me. Vladimir pleads with me, "But those are the rules." I try to explain that I understand where he is coming from, but you can't trick your opponent into accepting a draw (even though, as he correctly points out, you kind of are allowed to trick him into incorrectly accepting that he has been checkmated).
Vladimir agrees to resign. I apologize to both his opponents. They are both very nice.
It's become a new joke in chess club: randomly, for no reason, you say "DRAAAAAAAAWWWWW?" and stick your hand in someone's face, and then everyone looks at Vladimir and laughs.
I played in the National Chess Congress this weekend. I scored 3.5/6 in the under 2200 section. It was my first big tournament since Amateur Team East. I had stopped going because I didn't want to see my ex-boyfriend, but really, what am I going to do, quit chess?
1) This is round four: Johnson Pau (white) just played the unfortunate retreat 28. Qd1. How did I win material?
2) Last round: I had just played the ambitious 12... a5. I'm desparate to do something on the queenside before he checkmates me. What tricky positional idea can white play to show why ...a5 is bad?
3) I'm 9.5/11 with the caro kann! How do I win here? (round 2 vs Philip Selis)
4) Kevin Mo was black against me here and simplified to a winning pawn ending. how?
.JPG)
