Was just having a snoop around the perks Premium Membership would get me, and noticed the 'Auto-timeout protection.' (If you are about to lose a Turn-based game because of timeout you will automatically get put "on vacation". This can save you from silly loses and lost rating points due to timeouts!)

Just wondering if you folks thought this was in the spirit of the game. Isn't time management part of chess?

I believe this has already been discussed.  The analogy presented is that you are on a trip, or sick at the hospital, and you phone a friend and ask him to put you on vacation.  The only difference between this and auto-timeout protection is that you do not have to phone chess.com.

Thanks for that. Yes, i see the sense of auto protection having a 'fair' application, for those suddenly finding themselves in hospital etc. - I was thinking though more of an opponent who just exceeded the time limit for no particular reason. (A time limit agreed by both players before the game started). It is then not the case of the player remembering, and asking a friend to put them on holiday, but rather a player 'not' remembering, but the system puting them on holiday anyway. (Purely as a membership perk). I understand of course that membership should unlock special features. Just not convinced this should be one of them.

Apologies for resurrecting an old topic.  ;o)

Actually I saw this auto protection as a possible disadvantage due to the fact that I strongly consider vacation timeouts as a negative.  People using to stall a game.  I do not play others with timeouts.  I am sure based on comments in the forums others might use the same consideration.

how about it only be used in unrated?

Does this feature works by default or it should be started somehow?

Thanks.