A lag switch is a device which allows your opponent to temporarily interrupt his/her connection to the server. During this interruption, your opponent make make a move locally on his/her machine. After a short period of time the lag switch then reconnects to the server and resynchronizes the clocks. During this resyncing process, the server adjusts to the advanced clock of your opponent. From your end it appears as if your opponent is waiting to move and you see his/her clock running down, then suddenly you are disconnected as the server resyncs the clocks. When you reconnect you find that it was your clock that was running and not your opponent's.
Is it worth reporting someone for being suspected of using a lag switch?

Are you sure that is even possible? I thought the site code doesn't fall for that.
Unlike many other online games, chess can be easily designed so lag switches cannot be effective.
Don't know if Chess.com is designed this way, but I would imagine it would have been done naturally.

Are you sure that is even possible? I thought the site code doesn't fall for that.
Unlike many other online games, chess can be easily designed so lag switches cannot be effective.
Don't know if Chess.com is designed this way, but I would imagine it would have been done naturally.
Interesting... If it's not too complicated, could you explain why chess can be designed so that lag switches aren't effective, and other games can't?
There have been a few clock hacks out there for chess.com, and some of them have been corrected not to work.
Would not surprise me if there is another one. The sad part is that the only reliable way is to use server time as move time, which greatly disadvantages players with slow (or mobile) connections.

I believe the trick of lag switches is they hold-up traffic. Thereby, allowing you to make multiple moves behind the block that can all be released at once.
In chess, you can only make 1 move, and that move can be registered once the move is sent and there is not other data or plays that can be made.
And, unlike action games where there is tons of stuff going on and you might not be immediately aware of this lag from other players. But, in chess, if your opponent delays his moves by 1 minute, you too, have 1 minute extra to think.
This is how I see it. Perhaps another developer with more experience in this area can clarify it more.
Does the administration of the site keep data about this or is it something that we just accept as part ot SOP?