This already applies to all free members. Auto time-out protection (you are automatically put on vacation when about to move on time) is provided to premium members and seems to be a common incentive to upgrade. Auto-timeout protection wouldn't work if players had to make a move before being put on vacation.
Is one move really going to make such a difference if you already have to wait for the player on vacation anyway?
Hi Puchiko, thanks for your comment. I thought the reasons for upgrade were to obtain the many other benefits upgrade offers, but not to get an unfair advantage in play over your opponent, If a player is genuinly going on vacation they should make their move first and then announce vacation time, if they neglect to make a move in time they should lose, regardless of their status. That is fair to all chess players. That is how its done in other forms of chess ie. correspondence etc.
Auto-time out protection is for emergencies, when the players cannot make it to the computer for unpredictable reasons (illness or injury, family emergency, internet connection problems, transport delays).
Do not think it often works that way, as time out is often variable, and does not seem to equate to these unpredictable reasons, perhaps auto time out should be apecified in the rules as to some of the reasons you have stated and than leave it to the honesty and integrity of the chess players.
Auto timeout protection is just what it is. It doesn't really matter what the reason is; by being a premium member you get it . It has been a perk of premium since I have been here and I don't think it will ever go away. I'll guarantee that was the selling point on premium memberships for some people.
I've only had to use it once here, when I thought I had more time left than I actually had. However, even if the rules were changed, then the coding would have to be changed to allow someone to put themselves on vacation, then make their moves. There are people that play very quickly on here and there is a very distinct possibility that if you had many of those in your game list it would be very hard to ever go on vacation.
However, even if the rules were changed, then the coding would have to be changed to allow someone to put themselves on vacation, then make their moves. There are people that play very quickly on here and there is a very distinct possibility that if you had many of those in your game list it would be very hard to ever go on vacation.
This is a problem that already exists for basic members. I have a sensible number of games, so I've never expirienced it, but a combination of several on-line opponents and a bunch of conditional moves could make it impossible to go on vacation for players with more games.
Though that's true, I don't think it's such a big problem. I expect turn-based chess to be slow. I usually have about ten games going-if one player "pauses" for a month, I barely take notice. The only problem is when it holds up tournaments.
The recently-introduced policy of a 24-hour minimum helped. However, many policies suggested to circumvent vacation abuse would probably cause more trouble for everyone-not just the stallers.
Ok, Puchiko and echecs06 I accept your explanations. Regards
I am revising my views on Vacation Timeout. How can a player be on vacation time out when the green pulsating computor read out against his name indicates he is studying the next move, or has the player left the computor in play mode whilst on vacation ?
I remove my previous statement to Puchico and do not altogether accept the explanation.
To be fair, the green indicator doesn't mean he's studying your game. He could be checking his e-mail for you know. Just because he has time for that, or a bullet game, doesn't mean he has time to spend the time required to make a well thought-out CC move.
However, this can't be generalised. He might be on vacation and checking his e-mail. I've also had opponents who eventually timed out-but we're "on-line" for a week straight 24/7 (I suppose they just left the webpage open at chess.com and left the house). The on-line icon can be very unreliable because of this. It's also possible one of your opponents is abusing his vacation time.
If you really want to know why your opponent's on vacation, just goddamn ask him. Nobody in the forums can read your opponents' minds.
I am revising my views on Vacation Timeout. How can a player be on vacation time out when the green pulsating computor read out against his name indicates he is studying the next move, or has the player left the computor in play mode whilst on vacation ?
I remove my previous statement to Puchico and do not altogether accept the explanation.
I'm on vacation right now, because I accidentally hit the "on vacation" option on the android application and since I get to lose a day of vacation anyway, I'm just not playing any moves for a day or two. I actually had to make use of auto-vacation a couple of times over the last couple of months; due to a tornado in my area and my inability to get to a consistent internet connection (before I had the aforementioned android phone and app).
That said, if/when I go on vacation, whether for real or on auto-vacation, I can come on for a little while to check on the forums, maybe do a few tactics. Basically if I don't have enough time to commit to my games at the time I might still have a little time to do some other things. Many other people probably have the same thing. Not saying that the system isn't ever abused but that it likely isn't for the majority of players.
You may be right and again you may be wrong. Nevertheless, I think vacation time should be reviewed, and amended in part. Games can take forever, and one loses interest after lengthy and continueing use of vacation time especialy the periodicaly interaptive type, and in tournaments when succesive players use vacation time and indefinately hold up the completion dates.
Yes, I might be right or I might be wrong. Or I could be both 
However, for people that feel that vacation time is wrong/abused/over-used there is a simple solution. Only play in tournaments that have No Vacation set. Voila! People can't drag on games by going on vacation.
I had my only two timeouts on here due to the aforementioned tornado and just such a tournament. I can understand your frustration. I also know that vacation time is finite and those using it will eventually time out.
Right, so where is a tournament in my ranking that I can enter that has no vacation time?
Just look through the upcoming no-vacation tournament page.
If its a huge deal, spend a few pennies and be protected.
If its not, remain a cheap-o like me and loose a load of your rating when you cant make it online.
If you read the OP's post, you'll see he's not upset about his vacation but rather others' vacation. The OP also is a premium member already.
If you read the OP's post, you'll see he's not upset about his vacation but rather others' vacation. The OP also is a premium member already.
How daft of me.
Note to self, claude os aperi oculos....
In my defence though, can my statement not apply to others that may read the topic? Besides, insentives to splash out a wee bit of coin is a good method of getting members to support the site.
Do not think it fair that a player can seek to go on Vacation prior to posting his/her last move. This provides a clear disadvantage to players not on vacation. The rule should be changed so that prior to a player posting vacation time out, a move is made by the player otherwise no time out can be computor triggered and game can be lost. fgold