Aborting games

How is it possible to abort games well in to it. I'm not allowed to abort

After a single move but 2 people have just done it after 21 moves.

Are they cheating? Or is it a bug in my iPad app?

This was an issue our end after this mornings update. Should be fixed now live chess is back up. Sorry about that.

Kohai, now that we're at this subject - how about installing an abort button usable at all times during the game, which will work like a 'draw' button? I.e., workable only by agreement between the players? Such as if they both want to abort the game without any rating change or result?

Nice idea but sadly there are still those who prefer to make their opponents wait it out. A long time ago we used to have a 'games resume' option where if both players were in live chess at the same time and free they could resume an earlier unfinished game. Problem there was that many decided they were then in a lost position and simply refused to resume the game.

Dear Kohai, 

we are speaking about two different things... what you suggest would be an 'adjourn' button, where the game is to be continued later...

I'm speaking about a mutual-consent 'abort' button - the game is just terminated there and then - no later continuation, no result, no rating changes...

how about it then?

a 'gtg, play you later' kind of button, to be used in friendly contexts, no doubt... but where an agreed draw, for example, will create an unwanted rating change (The position is equal, I need to go, but if he accepts a draw, I 'steal' three rating points off of him, for example)

Yes i know, I was giving an example of another cool feature we had on here that quite a few abused. While yours is a good idea it is likely to be abused.

Oh, now I see where you're coming from. 

I was trying to think up 'abusive scenarios' and did come up with a couple - maybe if these are taken care of, the idea can then be safely implemennted. Here is what I had in mind:

1) a guy should be allowed to ask for abort just a couple of times but not a third - to avoid badgering by repeated 'abort' suggestions - btw the same should apply to a draw!

2) a guy should NOT be allowed to ask for abort at all when his opponent is in time trouble, relative to the time control - last 15 sec when playing 3 min chess, last 30 when in 5 min, last 2 minutes when playing 15 min, etc. - again, for the same reasons. He should still be able to offer a draw, though.