DRAW PRINCIPLE
In sport there is always a winner and draw outcome is considered weakness. In chess however the draw is result of perfect game by both players. It is boring result, but when first explaining it to young student you need to emphasize that it is a normal outcome. We are actually looking to benefit from the process not from the result. This is why they say that you learn more from your losses and you do not gain much from your winning games.
Where to start, if you like teach your child to develop some good character traits.
First I repeat you need to understand that we need to teach the process, winning a game is not so important. The teaching process itself using chess is important. The draw principle is important in learning process.
According to conventional game and sports lore, draws and stalemates do not count. One can claim that the draw in chess should be avoided at any cost; the rules should be changed, etc. By default, chess is a game where there is always a correct move. The secret, which was in the past attainable only for a few, seems nowadays to have such an easy answer, because of computers. The existence of a right answer distinguishes chess from other games (we are defining “game” in very large scale; for example, life is a game, etc). Humans do make mistakes – Magnus Carlsen current World Champion does not have rating over 2800 just because of his good chess skills, but because his opponents make mistakes. What is the outcome if Magnus plays with God? Let us quote Arnold Arnold from his book Winners:
“God has all the answers as far as chess or anything else is concerned, from first move to last, if for no other reason than that He is game’s inventor; we merely discovered it. He knows all the games that can ever be played-the classified brute force sum of all combinatorial possibilities that includes the best and the worst. He can of course, achieve any outcome He wants-the ultimate chess master who never makes any mistakes …are you going to play ‘with’ or ‘against’ Him? You are God’s friend or enemy, depending on your choice. In the latter case nothing-neither skill nor luck-could help you, for there is no way in which you could ever defeat God…He would not want to take advantage of you, for that would be a violation of His principles. Would or could you try to take advantage of God? He would probably resolve this dilemma by graciously offering you white and the first move, insisting that you accept. You could hardly refuse…the question remain are: ‘Who wins this game?’ and ‘Can the outcome be foreseen?’…God will certainly not make any mistakes, or trick or disconcert you so that you make them, or take advantage of those you make. Any of these acts would be violations of His perfection. He would follow your lead, defend His pieces perfectly and create the conditions foe and eventual draw. That would be His advantage as an omniscient player, even if you tried to win. He would point out your errors as they occurred, forgive and show you how to correct them if you were willing to learn. If you are reasonable, trust in God’s expertise and play for fun and to learn to become perfect, rather than wanting to win by trying to make Him lose, that game is bound to end as a draw-as God knew if would from the beginning. While you and God may have been unequal at the start of the game you can become His equal at its end, for that is His intention. There is, however, one way in which the outcome might be uncertain as far as you are concerned, although God (and only He) could predict even that. You could lose or stumble into a stalemate if you dogmatically refused to learn, insisted that that your wrong moves were really the correct ones, or if you ignored God’s advice. God can predict, but he will not intervene to prevent human intransigence, arrogance and stupidity.”
Chess is often used as model for a war game. Because some strategic thinking takes place. When the forces are balanced the piece agreement is usual outcome. In chess we say that big forces must attack, meaning when you have material advantage you should not defend, but use your extra forces to build a strong attack.
Anyway if you do not have any advantage then the chess game must end peacefully and there is nothing dramatic with this outcome. Child wants to win, but you must avoid to make it tragic outcome, he or she must enjoy the game and play for fun. When growing into adulthood he or she must realize the true outcome and the logic behind winning and losing. If not he or she is going to lose. Stalemate is annoying for someone, but still winning solution for someone.
Jaan Ehlvest