Bad Losers on Chess.com

I only recently joined chess.com and I have been surprised that as I have slowly worked up the ranks from my start point at 400 to where I am now at about 900 I have increasingly played against people who instead of either resigning or playing out the game anyway, prefer to abandon the game as soon as I have established a leading position.

This behaviour seems really childish to me - like a four-year old having a tantrum - and very un-sportsmanlike.  In addition of course, they are losing out on useful experience that would help them to improve their game. We might enjoy our wins, but we learn from our lossess IMO.

The other behaviour that often goes with the same "bad loser" is asking for a draw when they are in a "cannot possibly win now" situation. They know they will lose if the game is played out, but they still try to get me to accept a draw with them. Of course they only offer this draw after I am in a completely commanding position.

So as a newbie to the site - has this behaviour always gone on, or is it a "sign of the times" and can chess.com do anything about it (I do report the incidents and block the players)? Will it improve if I continue to get better and end up with a higher rating, playing other players with higher ratings? It didn;t happen much at first, but now I am in the 900s it happens regularly!

The worst is yet to come

a hell to face you 

please explain...?

I had that yesterday. He only had is Queen left in the end, and she was pinned so there was only one legal move possible (C1) but he still waited for his time to expire instead of either taking the move or resigning. In the end I messaged him saying "C1 looks nice" but he ignored me and carried on doing nothing until his time ran out. This was after like five requests for a draw.

I am SOOOOOO glad you said that, as this is what I was hoping would be the case!

I can't remember the last time I find my 1800-1900 rapid opponents starts offering draws in lost position, however, some people just like to abandon lost games regardless of their rating.

Some people will go to the height of using abusive words when they lose, some will directly acuse you of cheating.

Chess.com usually take actions against people that abuse and abandon games, just report them.

Thanks UpcommingGM, it's good to get some advice from a more experienced member.

They take something that should be really great and they ruin it for some people. Sorry your having a hard time. Maybe they are four year olds.

It's always gone on. Not just on this site, but any online site.

In general they refuse to fix things like this... but even if I don't like it, at least they have a reasonable excuse... it's impossible to tell the difference between someone who starts thinking a long time because their position is lost and they're trying to find a way out and someone who is stalling. Or the difference between someone who quits because they're bad mannered, or quits because the doorbell rang, etc.

Reporting does help, and apparently after enough of this sort of abuse, people get thrown into a bad mannered pool where they only play others like them for something like 90 days.

Yes, it gets better.

My theory is the rudest people are at the top and bottom because that's where people are the most arrogant. Beginners are nice, but post beginners (800-900-whatever) have an inflated sense of skill. On the other end 17 year old GMs are arrogant because of course.

I can't remember the last time someone said anything in chat to me (rude or not). Stalling still happens but it's pretty rare.

welcome to online gaming 

There are poor losers at every level.  The important thing is to not let them upset you.  If they do, you are likely to make mistakes (the objective of many of them).  Just take things in stride and report them.

At that level you're probably playing against quite a few children, so they act childish. It's annoying but, hey, kids can be annoying. Shrug it off.

YThanks, and you could well be right, and in any case your advice to shrug it off is good - why let these things get to you!

Thanks and I look forward to reaching those levels (assuming I ever gain the ability), because at this level that is defiitely not what is happening

Thanks but I prefer to be more proactive about things. At the very least I can at least moan and whinge about it!

Wow thanks for the detailed response, it's much appreciated and very useful!

Very true! And thanks, I'll survive this!

Sorry this happened to you! I know andunderstand the experience, especially where it involves trolling and mocking. I never understand why they act like this considering it's only a game.