In the Open Section of the Susan Polgar National Open Blitz Championship, 2 players tied for first with the score of 5-0 going into the final 6th round. FM Paul Truong obtained a winning position and he was a full minute up on the clock. While trying to launch a knockout attack, he miscalculated and his sacrifice backed fire. He ended up losing material.
Then the players ended the game with lightning speed. On move 79, Paul made his move and his opponent ran out of time. His own clock showed only 0:08 (less than 1 second)! As he pointed out the time forfeit, his opponent captured his last pawn. Since the sequence was so fast, there was a short moment of confusion in regards to if the time ran out before the final capture.
However, there were 3 TDs present and witnessed the action as this was the championship game. All 3 TD unanimously agreed that time did run out before Paul’s opponent captured the last pawn. His opponent was very distraught because he missed a draw by less than one second and by 1/2 move.
Seeing this, he turned to the TDs and asked: “Since this is not a USCF rated event and only a fun event, can I offer my opponent a draw?” The TD basically said that it would not be allowed IF it would have been a USCF rated event. However, since this was only a fun event, he can do if he wishes. Paul then graciously turned to his younger opponent as said: “You fought great and deserve at least a draw on the board. I offer you one.”
The draw was accepted. One of the spectators said that this was the highest level of sportsmanship that she has ever witnessed in chess. She also said that this was a great lesson for her students to see as she is a scholastic chess coach for one of the most famous chess teams in the country. Many others also agreed and so do I.
It’s sporting, I’m just not sure it’s legal. You can’t offer a draw after the game is over.
This is wonderful gesture by Paul!
Could you tell us the other player’s name? If it was really a draw, and this guy is co-Susan Polgar Blitz Champion, then he deserves some recognition.
It’s wrong and insulting to give charity that way. If you beat him by the rules, you beat him. The other player surely accepts the TDs’ adjudication.
Fantastic! Others should learn from this, especially when it’s just a fun side events. It’s the ego maniacs that are ruining chess. Bravo!
http://media.bonnint.net/apimage/LON80102171551.jpg
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&tab=wn&q=Nicky+Janaway+DUCK
It’s great because it’s a fun non-rated event. It would be wrong if it would have been a rated event. I’m glad he asked the TD.
While it is a good sportsperson story, it is a poor example for playing by the rules, which is what should also be taught.
An act of LOVE is always criticized by the mind. The intellect is totally not capable of understanding love. Love is not understood. Love is just love. Love is not a part of the intellect.
What normally happens is that the inner self chooses to love. Then the intellect comes in and says WRONG. The intellect then gives 10 reasons not to love. The trick is to simply choose love even when the intellect screams out NO DO NOT LOVE. Love is wrong. The other person does not deserve Love. Judgement runs rampant.
But once we accept that the mind always does this, then we are free to choose to love anyway.
What a great story! Kudos to Mr. Truong!
Excellent story! Nice job by Paul! For those whiners, this was not a rated event. It was just a fun event and he cared more about the kid than himself.
Thats really nice Paul!!
Nice act there Paul. Of course any player will not do the same if there is a $100K prize or the IM or GM norm rests on the game.
Congratulations to Mr. Truong. Great gesture by him!
I’m burst into tears.
I actually did the same thing in a rated game in the UK. My opponent captured my last piece (a rook) just as his flag was falling, after being better for most of the game. I offered a draw and the TD accepted the result, regardless of any legal technicalities.
As far as the “rules” stuff goes, there isn’t really an agreed set of rules for blitz. I refuse to play blitz OTB unless my opponent agrees to USCF rules, because so many people play with “Seattle Rules” where, for example, on an illegal move instead of a time penalty they just capture the king, game over.
In this case even the TDs weren’t entirely sure of the rules. The great thing is that this was resolved by the players in the way that best reflected what had happened on the board. It’s not like Paul had lots of time and there was a serious imbalance in time management.
I once had a long OTB game, where I had blundered a piece and spent an hour finding a combination to get it back for two pawns going into a drawish endgame, and ended up flagging in a totally even position. My opponent looked at the clock and said, “is your flag down?” I found this to be an odd way to phrase it, so I responded, “are you calling my flag?” And he looked at the board for a couple minutes and decided to offer a draw instead. I’m not sure he made the right choice, but I did accept the draw offer.
Topalov take note. It is possible to be a good chess player AND have some class!
There are some details missing that would clarify things here.
Was Truong one of the 5-0 players? What was the position when the other player ran out of time? ‘Last pawn’ suggests endgame but not necessarily KPK. And was ‘throwing half a point’ within the rules of the event?
.. didn’t we just have some SP mantra about not offering or accepting draws but playing to the end?
It’s a Darwinian world out there — kill or be killed, checkmate or be checkmated. I’m a big believer in doing what is legal to cream the other guy. Similarly, I dont expect any mercy in return.
>>Tournament of Champions said…
It’s a Darwinian world out there — kill or be killed, checkmate or be checkmated.>>
Cliche or be cliched.
Nice gesture, but since it wasn’t even rated, I don’t know that I’d call it “an ultimate case of sportsmanship.”