The imp of the perverse

Edgar Allan Poe coined a great phrase to describe self-destructive behavior - he called it "the imp of the perverse". You know you shouldn't do something, yet you go ahead and do it anyway. In some fundamental way, you're unable to stop yourself. I succumbed to the imp of the perverse in a landmark game last night. It was a landmark game because it was the first time I'd ever lost on time at the 10 | 0 time control. I'm hoping it'll be the last :-) A player like me should never lose on time at this time control. That's not braggadocio, it's simply an acknowledgment of how fast I like to play. In general, if I'm going to lose a game, I'll either resign or get checkmated long before my flag is in any danger of falling.

In my "imp of the perverse" game last night, I promoted a pawn to a queen on move 60. My opponent had just a king and a pawn. I was behind on time. All I needed to do to secure a draw was to take his pawn with my queen. My first opportunity to do so came on move 64; I declined to take it. My next opportunity came on move 66; again I declined. Again, on move 67; again I declined. I finally lost the game on time when it was my turn to move on move 75. What was I doing all this time? Trying to checkmate my opponent, of course. What a stooge I am :-)

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