errant mouse click

[yitwail]

is there some guideline on somehow clicking on the wrong square before sending a move? happened to me for the first time. it loses a piece. i've lost pieces before with blunders, but this wasn't. i could request cancellation, is that the best i can do? i can't send email, because that's not working.

[reyn]

Ian, I think it all comes down to if your opponent wants to comply. You made an error, but your opponent isn't obligated to follow through.

To me, I always look at these things as if one was playing OTB chess. Accidently touch a piece or move to a wrong square (assuming it's a valid move)? Tough toenails, I'm afraid.

You can ask for a cancellation and see what happens. Don't be surprised if you're refused.

[yitwail]

i think what happened was, i was pondering where my opponent would move in response to my intended move, and must have accidentally clicked the square i thought he would move to, while waving my mouse around. since it's a square he can move to, it's obviously a square where my piece will be hanging. he has every right to refuse to cancel, and i may quit playing here if he does refuse. it sounds like sour grapes, but really it's not. i've had a game here when i requested cancellation because my opponent threw his queen away, but that was against a different opponent, so i'm not expecting a quid pro quo.

[reyn]

It's an easy bad habit to get into, using your mouse as a "thinking technique". Again, in OTB, this would definitely qualify as a "touch move" rule.

Better to use an online utility, such as WinBoard, to do one's analysis, than on your particular game board. Particularly if it's a tough decision.

[yitwail]

absolutely true, Reyn. but i'm one of those people who don't back up the hard disk on their PC, either. i do use a winboard type utility very infrequently, but not in a simple situation like this one was.

[perseus]

Everybody does it at first. I have thrown away a couple of games. I think of it as accidentally touching a piece OTB, usually the Rook in a castling move.

[yitwail]

well, looks like i'll be around for a while. my opponent graciously accepted cancellation. if he's reading this, my thanks, and if he's interested, he can challenge me & we'll simply play the same moves on each side until the point where my mouse strayed. i hope he's not reading this, however, because i wasn't trying to influence his decision by discussing the game in public.

for what it's worth, the game was a tight one, and most likely have ended a draw, had i not had my accident.

[reyn]

perseus said:

Everybody does it at first. I have thrown away a couple of games. I think of it as accidentally touching a piece OTB, usually the Rook in a castling move.

Actually, in all the years I've been here, I've never accidently clicked the wrong square and made a move.

Instead, I blow a game by making a stalemate! ;D