From: Larry Kaufman <lkaufman <at> WIZARD <dot> NET>
Date: 11 mar 1999
Subject: Re: Japanese Phrases

-----Original Message-----
From: Sam Sloan <sloan <at> ISHIPRESS <dot> COM>
To: SHOGI-L <at> techunix <dot> technion <dot> ac <dot> il <SHOGI-L <at> techunix <dot> technion <dot> ac <dot> il>
Date: Thursday, March 11, 1999 6:38 AM
Subject: Re: Japanese Phrases


>In shogi it is not customary or advisable to resign, no mattar how lost
>your position is.

>I have had two-dan opponents overlook the most obvious mate in one, and I
>went on to win the game.
>
>Even on the professional level, top players lose a few times each year by
>making an illegal move. I am not sure about this but I believe that Habu
>lost a game like this not long ago.
>
>In chess, if you are a queen or a rook down you can safely resign. However,
>in shogi it is best to play to the bitter end, and never to let your
>opponent take back a move.
>
>Sam Sloan


     While I won't argue with "advisable" above, it certainly is "customary"
to resign hopeless positions in shogi, especially at the professional level.
In one recent pro title game, the player resigned because he lost a general
for nothing, and in other games the player has resigned because his attack
has run out whereas his opponent has a slow but sure winning plan.  Perhaps
in some of these games the loser still had a 1% chance or so of winning, but
perhaps they feel that the embarrassment of playing on in a hopeless
position is not worth that small chance.  Apparently GM Ivanchuk feels the
same way in chess, as he normally resigns positions in which he still has
perhaps 3-5% chances of saving the game.

Larry Kaufman