Ivancuk commits "suicide"

Suicide chess is a variant of chess. I learnt it from Indian IM Ravi Shekar during the 80s where we struck up a friendship over many tournaments. The object of the game is not checkmate but to give away all your pieces. You can engage in this type of chess - one of many chess variants - on the Free Chess server . In fact IM Mok Tze Meng claims to be the strongest suicide player there :)

Sometimes in my bullet games, my opponent will start giving away pieces intentionally when they have been totally out-played either out of frustration or defiance. Says a lot about their characters.

But to see this at  top level tournament - we can only thank GM Ivancuk. This is what he played in the position below where White is quite lost already

Ivancuk - Fabiano, Reggio Emilia 2012

29. Qxb7 Qxb7 30. Rxf4 gxf4 31. Nxd2 exd2 32. Bxf4 Rxf4 33. Bc6 Qb6+ 0-1

But for Ivancuk to do this at this level is really a sign of disrespect  (or ultimate frustration). If the position is lost, just resign. Whatever his reason, he just lost a least one fan. Doing this is highly disrespectful of his opponent, the chess organizers and fans. I hope he will not be invited back to Reggio Emilia again.