When you recieve a Challenge from an opponent who my be several hundred points below your ratings, but within your selected range for challenges, And you decide to decline should you have to recieve an email from the site for an explanation of why you turned down that challendge (as i did) ? Or do you believe as a paying member, the decision of whom you decide to play or not play belongs to you without explanation !  YOUR COMMENTS PLEASE   

I don't mind giving an explanation of why I decline a member's game request. 

A premium membership should have no bearing on this issue.

I don't think you have to write anything in the box that appears when declining a challenge.

The decision of whom I decide to play or not play belongs to me without explanation.

I totally disagree the idea that i have to explain to any site, why i did not play this person or that person is absurd !! That explanation may be asked by the challenger which is fair enough, sense i placed him in my range of opponents but may not be able to accomodate him at that time .

But we don't have to explain to the site why we don't want to play someone. We're explaining it to the prospective opponent, and the site is merely acting as the messenger between the two parties. The site is essentially facilitating communication between the players. After all, if I decline a game, how often would the opponent go to the trouble to ask me why I don't want to play him, as opposed to how often he would think, "Ah, whatever. I'll just play someone else," and let it go?

Moreover, as pawn_eater pointed out, we don't have to give a reason at all, even then. The site doesn't archive our explanations (as far as I know) and has no reason to care why we decline games.

Tell them you're scared to play chess because you have to protect your rating, and that you only play white...against people who play 1...g5.

Also, if declining challenges is a serious issue for someone you can merely ignore the challenge and it will disappear from your challenge queue, in 7 days if I am not mistaken.

That aside, I don't see a problem with having the option of putting in a message such as "too busy", "getting ready for tournament", etc. etc.

And, as pointed out, you can merely decline with no explanation.

 I understand exactly what you are saying the site has decided that when you hit the DECLINE button they will generate an automatic explanation to your opponent for the denial. That is my point WE DO NOT OWE ANYONE AN EXPLANATION FOR ANYTHING !!  sure if my opponent asks he shall recieve one . This is just my opinion, but whether you fill out their email or not it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  LOL  ( thanks for the explanation for the email )      !!!!!!!!!! 

Suuuure: Then after we CRUSH-YOU they challendge you again, again, again,then they get my email ( WHEN you start looking six- deep for knight forks CALL ME)  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  lol 

no

i want what i want when i want it i don't want what i don't want when i don't want it 

  you said it so well, any questions ????????