Is this considered sporting behavior??

An online game I was playing just 'finished', because the guy let his time run out. This is turn-based correspondence style chess, and we had a day or two for each move. It was forced mate (on him) in one move. Obviously if he didn't want to endure the checkmate, he could have resigned. But just to let the time run out? I mean, please acknowledge the time we had invested in an interesting and challenging game, by at least resigning if you dont want to see the checkmate. Thats what i would do. The material was close and we'd gone 48 moves at this point.

I'm new here, and have only played about ten games, so I do not know the etiquette.... Is this normal? Doesn't seem like a very sporting move to just let it time out when you are about to be mated.

It's not sporting, but on this site it appears to be pretty normal. Don't let it get to you. You're going to read lots of threads complaining about the lack of sporting behavior, the failure to resign, blah, blah, blah. Really, big deal.

For instance, I had a game where I offered a draw twice and the opponent rejected it. Then when we got to an absolute dead draw --that is stalemate in about three moves--he stopped playing. In another game my opponent could make only one legal move, after which it was checkmate. He stopped moving.

In both of those instances I made conditional moves. You'll see that button available to you when it's not your move. Just make the move that your opponent must make or will most likely make and then make your reply. It it's a forced mate in 4, for instance, just make the moves that force it, close the window and forget about it. As soon as they move on their end (if they do), it will trigger your response automatically. You can be sunning on the Riviera.

Above all, though, just roll with it. Most players on this site are sporting, polite, and relatively mature. Others are whining little babies who pick up their toys and go home as soon as things turn against them. Don't lose any sleep over it.

I've played +100 online (turn-based) games here and some of my forfeit wins were right out of the opening, in several the opponent never even made a move and in others I was losing or at best had a draw, but instead got credited (undeservedly) for a win.

Don't worry about it, with +6,000,000 members hereyou'll find more people you like than dislike - but will still come encounter turkeys from time to time

MSteen, that was it exactly, my opponent could only make one legal move, then it was checkmate. I haven't tried the conditional move feature, I'll check that out. Not that it will matter if he never makes his move....

But yeah I see your point. Nicer, though, if we could act like we are in the same room, shake hands, and move on. Well, at least it was an interesting game, and I would've been happy to shake his hand and say, "good game!"

I'm about to lose a different game....an interesting one also. The tide is about to turn... But I'll let this guy have his well-deserved win, and resign when appropriate. I think it feels better that way, win or lose....

ok.

Life issues perhaps?

There was a time when I really couldn't think about chess and I unwillingly forfeited on time like 10 games in a row, lost like 200 points. Problem was that I was registered to some tournaments so new games started automatically without me doing anything.

I always resign when I see I'm in a lost position, but I don't see what the problem is if they let their time run out.

No, not sporting behavior but then what age was your opponent because there are some very young players on this site? (I know of at least one 8-year old).

I havn't played very many more games than you but I've always found my opponents courteous, sporting & generally friendly (although you have to respect the fact that some just don't like to chat), so you've probably been unlucky. It's not common behavior in my experience - better luck in the future.

It's not sporting, but somehow I don't mind it too much when it's correspondence; I can just forget about it. When it happens in a live game though, well that's another story. You have to have to game running in the background while waiting for their time to run out.

You'll find the same bad behaviour on other sites as well.

Yes, definitively group hug !!

It’s all about ego. Instead of suffering the ignominy of having checkmate or White/Black resigned next to a lost game, they think that 'forfeits by time' is somewhat better, meaning that they lost because of time and not through any chessic fault of their own. 

That sounds about right cuneglas.

And yeah, group hug! Now I feel better.... :-)

Locriana, to answer your question, no. However, people like that do seem to be the minority here, just like in this cartoon.

I have 29 games going right now in turn based. Normally I only like 9 to 12, but even at that number, I don't notice if someone stops moving. I only look at the games where it is my move. I have had several that I noticed in going through my back games that timed out, but I did not even notice them at the time. I suggest start more games at once, and only care about the ones where it is your turn. If you ignore bad behavior it will go away. (That's really more of a wish.)

The word "sportsmanship" refers more to the "Conduct and attitude...especially fair play, courtesy, striving spirit, and grace in losing." Which applies to any competitive activity.