Etiquette - Accept a draw request when player says they have to abandon game?

Life happens. Sometimes I take a break from work and try and squeeze in a 10 minute game. Sometimes my kiddo comes in or I get a work call or something comes up and I cannot complete the game. It never occurred to me to request a draw under these circumstances; I entered the game, so if I cannot finish it, I wouldn't expect to be allowed to draw. I resign if I can't finish.

However, I've seen several requests from players who, mid-game, say they have to run and request a draw. Is it a breach of etiquette to reject their offer? Is it a breach of etiquette for them to ask in the first place?

(I searches for this topic under etiquette and was surprised I could not find it; apologies if this has been previously addressed and I was just unable to find the conversation).

When that has happened to me, I just resign.

But it is also bad etiquette to ask for a draw in such a case.

If something that important arises for me, I will resign. A few rating points aren't that important.

If they have time to ask, whatever is occurring is obviously not that important to them.

I would probably agree to it but wouldn't be happy about it.

If I'm winning no way am I going to draw. If it's equal then of course. good game.

It's your obligation to plan ahead. If you find that you cannot end the game you are not entitled to get a draw. Of course, you could still offer one (without explaning the offer), and hope it will be accepted.

personally, I will advise First Playing A Move Then Asking for A Draw Then If He Rejects The Draw Then It Better To Resign

why I am saying to ask a draw before resigning is sometimes your Opponent also wants  Draw or want to finish his game immediately

then this will benefit both players

I would accept if my opponent was equal or better.

The correct answer here.

There's simply no way of verifying if someone has genuine reason to ask for a draw like that. "Sorry, I gotta go. I can't finish this game I started" is no basis to be asking for a draw. Good etiquette here is if the player really needs to go then they should resign. Otherwise it's just an excuse for not losing rating since the game isn't going as they would like. I don't know how that's even up for discussion.

It's a bit rude to ask for the draw. Like others have s caid, if you can't finish, just resign. That said, I would probably give them the draw if I was in an even or worse position.

I find it to be a rare case. I normally accept the draw and move on. If you take the time out or resignation, it only inflates your ELO and playing strength. Most people care about ELO points so I get it if you don’t accept the draw.

To your original question, it is poor etiquette and they should resign.

Accept Draw:
- we are in a dead drawn position
-it is about to become a draw (by insufficient material or 50-move)
-my opponent has a large decisive advantage
-the position is equal (if not drawn yet), or I am losing and my opponent has to go do something more important than the game at hand (benefit of the doubt)
Decline Draw:
-I have a decisive (winning) advantage (there is nothing serious enough that could happen that is less important than having a draw, ie: family member or friend injured/dying, natural disaster) opponent should resign or is forced to abandon.
Exceptions- Any time I would break these rules is if I am playing a rated game with an opponent far out of my rating range, and a resignation on a certain side would result in no loss of rating points.  All said scenarios are for rated games, in unrated games I am more lenient about accepting draws.

wow that's horrible

I would like to know if there is an official chess.com stance on this. Recently, I offered a draw, because the game was fair and the other player was letting the clock down for almost ten minutes for a single move They rejected the draw offer. I made a single move right away that really didn't mean much of anything and then they abandoned the game. There was no need for them to lose there. They declined a draw and didn't resign. Losing by abandoning the game seems strange to me after declining a draw. Neiher player was winning or had any advantage.

If anyone really needs to attend to more important things than an online game that after all, only entails the loss of “precious rating points”, they will make an apology, resign and leave. To request a draw is pathetic. I mean, "My wife's waters are breaking, but please give me a draw because I have to take her to hospital...please don't force me into making a difficult choice...." etc.

Nah, I'll take the free win if it's something you have to attend to instead of finishing the game, thanks.

If one has to leave in the middle of a game in an official OTB tournament (for whatever reason) and asks for a draw because of that, they will be laughed at. If you have to leave before finishing the game, you forfeit, period. Why should online be different?

If there is a real emergency, I would just resign. If I'd do anything at all and not just abandon the computer and thus the game, which, thinking about it, is much more likely.

I certainly wouldnt start typing "please accept a draw, there is an emergency here" when theres somebody, I dunno, having a heart attack or something like that.

This is a problem here. People disconnect or abort instead of resigning.