GlutesChess wrote:
I actually went and found the stalling page: https://support.chess.com/article/675-what-is-stalling#:~:text=Stalling%20is%20something%20poor%20sports,some%20pointless%20moves%20added%20in.
Stalling is something poor sports do to annoy their opponent when it becomes clear they can't win. Stalling can be:
- Letting the clock run out instead of resigning
- Taking VERY long between moves, in effect letting the game run out but with some pointless moves added in.
It does not make a distinction between arena and game clock specifically, and letting the arena clock run out is definitely covered by the second point. Ergo, letting the arena clock run out IS stalling and IS unsportsmanlike.
I always report and block. You don't even have to write anything it's one of the options
This really is a non issue.
The rapid or blitz arena strategy for many players is to try and win each game quickly or even lose quickly, to accumulate points as quickly as possible.
Even though I would never have a look at even a top 20, I follow a similar strategy.... and in doing so, in many games against much higher rated players, earlier in the arena, I would support the process and resign quickly if down a piece say, rather than struggling on, trying to find good survival moves and taking lots of time from the arena clock, for both of us.
Consequently , some of the wins players get, are much quicker than they should be, with only a few resistance moves being played. So when the reverse happens at the end of the arena, lets call it winning on the swings and losing on the roundabouts.