As we announced here, and in updates to the Fair Play Policy here, we've made some changes to discourage people from unnecessarily aborting Live chess games.

Basically, we made it easier to see the Rating options for a New Game challenge (allowing users to specify a ratings-range for acceptable opponents), and we also automatically remove the ability to abort if an individual does it too frequently.

The changes are showing some positive effect - although not quite what we hoped for. So what gives?

Are the ratings options still too hard to find/understand? Are there other reasons for aborting that today's features don't address? Let us know! Maybe we'll take the reasons identified here and create a survey to see what else needs to be changed! Thanks much!

well, I mean sometimes my mouse slips and I play Ke2 instead of Bc4...

then I have to abort.

Then you are forced to play the bongcloud

He doesn't want to play such a clearly winning move, in accordance with the gentlemen's agreement in place across all levels of chess.

Might it be possible when players abort to ask them to explain why they are aborting right then? Have a few choices to choose from and an 'other' box to type in an explanation if none of the choices available apply? Is that doable?

Is it still possible to abort/resign less than four moves in without losing points?

If so, it could be that people are unwilling to play against certain openings.

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Up to a point... If they abort too much, however, they ultimately lose that ability.. leaving them able to resign only.

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Haha! I thought about that too... Make people take a 10-question survey every time they abort even. :D

 

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That's not what kohai said...

I played 1.b3 one day and got aborted four times on the first move.

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I would not knowingly contradict her. :) But not knowing what she said, I'll just back out gracefully, and gesture meaningfully toward the relevant FAQ article.

I don't like to abort unless I have a good reason. I have aborted maybe 5 games when I have been on here. If I abort with friends, it is because I just had to tell them I couldn't play now, and of the real games, I accidentally accepted or found out that I had to leave suddenly. I hope I don't get fair play restricted :\

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Not. Even. Close. That is exactly the spirit in which Abort was intended to be used.

FYI, the people who are running into trouble are aborting at least 2000% as often.

Hence our confusion.

I've aborted a couple of times when I've seen that the apponent has a poor connection and they don't start the game promptly.

is there a penalty for aborting on the first move? 

reason I ask:  there are times when I accept a posted challenge - only to find that my opponent has the slimmest of red showing on the "lag indicator" and after 40 seconds, still hasn't moved - - so I abort the game - often before his first move is made - or just as his move shows up - nearly simultaneously with my clicking the abort button.

Not sure if I'm risking the penalty or not for this - but it would be a disapointment to be flagged for leaving before he moves.

I thought they had just implemented a 15 second auto-abort if the first move hasn't been made.

browni3141 wrote: I thought they had just implemented a 15 second auto-abort if the first move hasn't been made. Correct!

it seems like a lot more than 15 seconds when i wait. i once waited almost a minute and it didnt autoabort.

Once... This week?

once waited a minute, but have had to abort at least 15 games due to inactivity.