Article: 12300 of rec.games.chess.misc
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From: tim@mail.htp.com (Tim Mirabile)
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess.misc
Subject: Re: Draw-offer "Etiquette"
Date: Thu, 10 Oct 1996 00:46:27 GMT
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References: <325AF98C.5731@eos.ncsu.edu> <Dz0M4B.E5J@exeter.ac.uk>
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dregis@exeter.ac.uk (D.Regis) wrote:

>In article <325AF98C.5731@eos.ncsu.edu> Arren <ahfisher@eos.ncsu.edu> writes:
>>What is considered the proper etiquette on the timing of offering 
>>draws - just before you move or just after you move?? Also, how many 
>>offers are considered reasonable per time control ( or per x number of 
>>moves.

One of the worst ways to offer a draw is by sticking your hand out over the
board without even playing a move, ala "Searching for Bobby Fischer."  In
the 1995 New York Open, there was a kid who played in the _open_ section,
and did this in every game.  I think he lost every one too.

>> I try ( not to offer them at all! ) to offer after I move but before I 
>>hit the clock, and I don't think I have ever made more than one offer 
>>per game. 
>
>That sounds a model of etiquette.
>
>>However, I find repeated offers of a draw by opponents 
>>tiresome and annoying.
>
>If it really annoys you, it's distracting and the controller should be
>informed.  Do you escalate your declines?  My experience is that a
>second offer is always made from an inferior position, which is a rude
>thing to do once, let alone twice.  Unless the position changes its
>character dramatically, I meet the second offer with: "No, and please
>don't ask me again", and once I got as far as a brusque "I'll let you
>know when and if I think it's drawn!". 
>
>One might imagine a scale of refusals:
>
>"I'll think about it" (the usual down this way: they don't really think
> about it, they just make your next move)

I use this almost always.  This way I can think for a while, and if I
decide I don't like my position, I can still take the draw.  Also, it
usually makes the opponent stop sitting on the edge of his seat waiting for
an answer.

>"Not yet"
>"No, thank you"
>"No" (piano)
>"No" (forte)

I got one of these from A. Ivanov, in the first round of the 1994 NY Open.
I really didn't expect him to take it, but the Q's just came off, and I
thought he might be willing to take the early draw and go to bed early.  I
drew anyway 43 moves later at about 1:30 AM.

>"Of course not" [(c) R J Fischer]
>"No WAY"
>"You're joking, right?"
>"BWAHAHAHAHA"

Also:
"No thanks" (with contempt)
"Excuse me, I have a winning position" (V. Korchnoi, 1993 National open,
opponent unknown)
"I'd rather lose!" (I think some famous early 20th century player used this
one, can't remember which)

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| Tim Mirabile <tim@mail.htp.com>   http://www.angelfire.com/pg9/timm/ |
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From info!dregis Mon Oct 14 10:40:43 BST 1996