Sore Losers!

Sometimes when I play Live Chess, I play well enough that my opponent is in no position to win.  Instead of resigning, some of them either leave the computer and let their time run out, making me sit and wait for the game to finish.  Some turn off their computers and the chat window states that they have disconnected.  One opponent had the nerve to write "Fck u azzwhole" in the window and let their time run out.

Is there anything we can do about these twerps?

block 'em - it easy

Just let them lose (by running their time out), and don't play them again. 

In the case of abusive language, report the abuse.

Other ideas?

The moderators can track bad language. As MontyII said, you should report them for abuse if you feel you need to.

MontyII wrote: Just let them lose (by running their time out), and don't play them again.  In the case of abusive language, report the abuse. Other ideas?yeah that's right

I think MontyII has the best idea.

Ive found quite a few people will just disconnect.  Its pathetic.

I wouldn't be so fast blaming the people disconnect. I got disconnected from the live chess server more than once. There are all kind of reasons for that, from user losing wireless strength to live chess server technical problems. I can understand why it would bother you if your opponent keeps you waiting thirty minutes till his time runs out, but why do you take disconnects too personal? When your opponent gets disconnected for any reason, server soon aborts that game anyway. 

When players disconnect at the moment when they realize they know they cannot win--when they know it, and you know it--a timely disconnection is unlikely an accident.  They just need to suck it up and resign.

Maybe not if they're physically pulling their network connection out, but if they're just closing the window or navigating away those events can absolutely be captured and logged by chess.com.

How do you know at what moment they've realized their position is lost?  I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but you can't know really this and coincidences also occur. 

There are those players who go so far as to make you play out a completely won K + Q vs K endgame. I consider that bad sportsmanship as well.

I'm surprised it would be so much work but the point is that it could be done.  Your first post said there was "NO WAY".

If someone occasionally gets upset and lets the clock run down when they are losing, I'd say that is poor sportsmanship but hardly an offence that warrants reporting or banning. It is different with types who make it a 'strategy' to start long games and then let the clock run down.

If you don't know the opponent personally, it is probably better not to accept very long time controls. Instead, use shorter base time with longer increments.

There is nothing we can, or really should do, about these folk, (apart from cases of abusive language). Of course, if you feel like being an annoying moron back to them, I always find a fun method of reversing the irritation is to offer a draw when they have 1 second left.

when I know somebody playin' a bit unnatural, I suspects they is usin' an engine, an' I drags out the time in the hope that the staff will catch 'em - they is remarkably efficient in that regard

Only three things are certain in life:  Death, taxes and resignation threads.

Disconnections are less of a problem now, since you get a few minutes to reconnect. The downside is that your opponent gets a few minutes time to reconnect too, but generally I don't think that is a big problem either. (Well maybe it is on bullet since having to wait even a minute kinda spoils a bullet game, but....) People who let the time run out without disconnecting when they are in a lost position could be more of a bother in longer games, and indeed I believe it is one of the reasons that many people are reluctant to play longer games in Live. Not sure if something could or should be done about it but it is a nuisance. 

And yes, I am also a little fuzzy about how the impression that you always get disconnected in winning or drawish positions is relevant here.

Seems about right.

"The other day my opponent resigned after he moved, before giving me a chance to respond!  I think that's really rude, if you're going to move at least let me move before you resign, what if I mess up? I didn't even get a chance to really see what his move was! -- sure he was losing pretty bad (4 queens and king vs his lone king), but I think when someone resigns like this it's the same as saying 'I'm better than you' you know what I mean?"

What is particularly insidious, and has only happened to me once, are people who act like they are going to let all their time run out, then make a move when they think you aren't looking. I played a 15 10 live game once in which a player in a losing position (-+) let about 11 of his remaining 15 minutes run off the clock before making a move--not even a particularly good one. I was watching the game, and responded in a few seconds, after which he let the rest of his clock expire.

I find it highly unlikely that this could be a glitch or a really long think. The intention seemed pretty clear, especially since he responded to none of my chat messages, despite hailing from an English-speaking country.

The problem, ultimately, is that there is no way to stop bad sports or cheaters online. However, I do think it would be worthwhile to create a system where it is easier to report suspected offenders. As has been pointed out, one disconnect means nothing. But if a player has never resigned or been checkmated, whose every loss is a disconnect or on time, that is pretty inconclusive. In fact, even if soembody just gets three or four reports of clear violations, that should be enough to take action.