Playing simply is not cowardice, if you think that suits your style or is effective against a particular opponent

Playing for a draw is not necessarily cowardice, but it is psychologically difficult and may lead to a loss instead

Offering a draw is not necessarily cowardice, it may be an effective psychological weapon, making the opponent too much committed to trying to win

Playing the Pirc is not cowardice; it's considered a risky, dubious defence on top level and Black only plays it if he wants to unbalance and play for a win

REAL cowardice is, among other things:

- Not playing at all, for fear of losing rating points
- Offering/accepting a draw in good/winning positions because of fear of the opponent
- Giving up mentally and playing lamely in bad positions, when a determined player could still find resources
- Getting stuck in 19th century "romantic" chess and not bothering to learn about the deep and subtle game modern chess can be

I agree, you cannot judge a player on his choice of opening. You must draw conclusions from how he plays the game as a whole.

Kasparov has played the Exchange French, Carlsen, Ivanchuk, Kramnik and any top player you care to mention have all played the Berlin Defence and Petroff.

Cowardice is to play for a draw starting at move 1 with openings like Petroff , Berlin Wall etc, exchange French, exchange Slavs etc.

Cowardice for me is when you dont play for winning on your own. You only sit on your ass doing nothing. Just waiting for your oponents mistake. You just react to your oponents move. You dont try to sit in the forseat.You dont try to take the initiative. You dont try to force the play at all. And you probably play the french with dxe4 (Fort Knox or Rubinstein system). Against 1.d4 you probably play the Queens Gambit . Last but not least your main objective is NOT to lose. That is more important than trying to win. You probably also avoid complications at any cost. You rather go for simplifications. Every exchange is a victory for you. We have such old man in our chessclub . He asks for draw before move 20 in every game. I just wonder why such people play chess at all. They must have a pervers love for their style. I cant see anything else than that.

That could be cowardice  as i view it.

What is cowardice in chess?

It is when a grandmaster fears accepting a  gambit the way politicians do the press,

While  saying a gambit is unsound,

Will not play gambits for fear of being beaten,

Yellow, yellow, yellow! Yellow, yellow coward!

The player declines a gambit like a chicken.


Yellow, yellow coward! When playing safe, solid positions,

Is a way to avoid exciting, attacking chess,

The coward will avoid the Evans Gambit,

And play the Zukertort (Reti) Opening or Pirc Defense,

But the gambiteer will always go on the offense,

The Herrstrom Gambit hits the Reti hard,

And the Pirc, by the Bishop exchange on g7-square,

Gambiteers tell the cowards, come here!

We will force you to play and accept gambits,

Fight like men, not chickens,

Yellow, yellow, yellow cowards run from gambits like dickens!

Forward, with swords bared, bayonets fixed,

The gambits blow the cowards away,

The Romantic School of chess and gambit play carries the day!