question about time

How long does a player have to make a move?

A game started 15 minutes ago. We both made a couple of moves, but then I guess my opponent stepped away from the board and his clock is running and he has ~ 20 minutes to go.

So now I'm sitting here idle and clearly he has left his computer. I don't want to "resign" from the game because then it counts as a loss. But now I can't do anything for 20 minutes. Anything I can do about this?

Very easily if he had 35 minutes to begin with.

I thought the same thing too but immediately realized that the game started 15 min. ago but it doesn't mean it was a game with a 15 min time limit.

Your opponent probably had something pressing to tend to. It can happen especially if the game is playing during their break time and the boss calls on them.

Just open another tab and read forum posts, lol or play with shorter time controls. It's the main reason I choose 10 min games.

I thought this was gonna be a physics thread :(

Me too littledragons.

Like can one run out of time in a chess game if there is no such thing as time?

sorry for the confusion...It was a 30 minute game...meaning we both have 30 mins...roughly 15 minutes into the game is when he/she apparently walked away...

it would just be nice if after say 10 minutes with no moves the game ends and is awarded to the other player..

How can 10 minutes pass if there were never any minutes?

It is because only the seconds pass.

Does that mean chess is a pastime?

if time is only an illusion then I dont need to be as worried as I used to be when I have less than a minute on my clock.

We should remember that when the arbiter says sorry you lost on time.

We can say that is impossible.

Time lost is time regained. Only by losing time can you know what time is.

           Your question was, Is there anything I can do about this empty 20 mins?  Are you done reading that book, its been 8 hrs?