Talk:Swindle (chess)
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[edit] Some comments
This article is definitely interesting, and has plenty of interesting positions. At my level (elo 1223), swindles are quite common and I have been at both ends of that stick (my most memorable game was losing with an extra knight and bishop because I did not pay attention to some passed pawns, thankfully you will not see that game in ChessBase or on my userpage!). Regarding the article, I have some suggestions:
[edit] General
- In my mind, a "swindle" usually refers to a rather dramatic and rapid change of fortune, an ensnarement which suddenly changes the outcome. If a player accepts an unsound gambit (and gets a won position), but then starts dillying with passive play, letting the opponent gradually build up an attack which slowly becomes unstoppable, I would call it being outplayed, not a swindle.
- Swindles happen in lost positions, and must include a mistake from the swindled. As such I think each example should start with a position shortly before the turning point. The setting of the trap, the blunder which falls into the trap, and the swift punishment. For instance, the first example (Marshall-MacClure) does not show where MacClure treads wrong.
- A bit about how a blunder from the opponent can be induced. To prevent anything on this being original research there are some pretty good paper sources, the two which come to mind is "Saving Lost Positions", a Back to Basics column by Lev Alburt and Larry Parr in the October 1994 Chess Life (which, among other things, advocates alertness, sound counterplay, randomization, and muddy waters), and the chapter "Fortune favors the lucky" in Chess for Tigers by Simon Webb (also advocating muddy and unclear waters, but also something on demeanor at the board. I seem to remember Alexander Kotov once getting lulled by the despondant opponent who was apparently getting ready to leave, putting his hat on and crumpling up the scoresheet.)
[edit] Stalemate
- The games listed in the beginning should have an external link to the games. (I see there is a link to stalemate, but that article can quickly change some day, breaking the chain here.)
- The bit on time trouble has nothing to do with stalemate, and should perhaps be in a section on inducing blunders (see general.)
[edit] Material insufficiency
- Not entirely convinced that this has so much to do with swindling. Is it simply not a regular drawing technique? If I get into a trouble and decide to start trading pieces to reach an inferior, but drawn endgame with reduced material without ever getting a lost position at any point, I may have defended well but I have hardly carried out a "swindle".
