Conceding, in a game of
chess. The player who resigns is
giving up. Some players never resign; others will do it
at the drop of a hat, i.e. their first mistake; I do whatever I feel like doing at the time. Speaking from personal experience, losing a game can cause one to suffer emotionally. Here are some reasons I might resign:
- I made an obvious mistake causing me to lose power pieces (my oppponent has a material advantage). I can't possibly win because my opponent won't make any major mistakes. I shouldn't win because you have a clear advantage. For efficiency's sake, I'm done with this game, moving on to the next.
- I'm not in the mood to play anymore.
- I'm bored.
- I'm burning my dinner.
I usually choose not to resign because:
- A losing game can be challenging and entertaining.
- My opponent might make a mistake allowing me to capture a piece and even the odds.
- Stalemate is a possibility, and preferable to an outright loss
- A small material disadvantage can be overcome through careful maneuvering and tactics.
- I don't like being deprived of endgame myself, so I obey the golden rule.
I play chess online with anonymous opponents. I don't get a chance to talk to them, but I try to understand why my opponent is resigning, if only for my own peace of mind. Usually, they have made too many mistakes due to inexperience or lack of focus. Sometimes, however, we have been evenly matched up to a certain point, that point being when I gain a material advantage. In this case, the resignation seems like a good stopping point, especially if the game has been highly symmetrical. For example, in a typical game, we both fight for the center with pawns, then castle to the king's side, and begin shifting power pieces looking for an advantageous position. The opponent has two rooks lined up attacking my bishop, where I have a queen clearly defending it and two knights nearby. Her rook captures my bishop and the rook is now attacking the queen while being defended by the other rook. But she failed to notice one of my knights was also defending, so I capture the rook, and she has effectively traded a rook for a bishop rather than winning a bishop outright. (Rooks have more value than bishops in the endgame because they can protect each other.) Realizing her error, she considers the game ruined. I respect that.
I'm not giving any advice here. Do what you feel. It's only a game!