Game 000826-03


Koen de Jongh (NL) versus Patrick Van de Perre (B)
GIPF World Championship, Round 4
MSO 4, Alexandra Palace, London, August 26, 2000

Description:
12 moves!
Patrick gets in big trouble without having made any real mistake (that is, taken notice of the current level of play!). This game is a good example of an impression quite a few players share, namely that GIPF can suddenly turn itself against you: done nothing wrong, yet in a terrible position… 
The only remark that can be made in this particular case is that Patrick probably played "too" defensive. On the other hand, if you are not careful when playing against Koen, you'll "eat beans" (sorry, Dutch expression!). Look at how Koen swichtes sides in his opening and gets back to the g-line with his 10th move (i.e. where he started the game). Patrick must have been desperate, indeed.
Patrick's resignation surprised Koen, though - and this may be an interesting issue… The reason for Patrick's resignation most likely is that he is a chess player. When playing chess, you are supposed to live up to a kind of "etiquette": e.g. you don't go on when you're in a lost position. But when exactly are you in a lost position when playing GIPF? I've won matches after having been 4, even 5 pieces behind. But Patrick, being the chess player he is, plays with another attitude. He once told me: when I go one piece ahead, it must be possible to consolidate that advantage with a win. That is one way of looking at GIPF, but it isn't mine. In theory he may be right, but in practice… Take a look at e.g. Patrick's previous game (Game 00-02) and at the final between Werner Dupont and Yoshi Ikkai (Game 00-05), in which the eventual winners are trailing most of the time. (However, after having had a close look at the situation after Koen's 12th move below, I really don't see a way out of it either. See diagram at the end of the game.)

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