Quitting before first move - should it be a loss?

Abandoning a game before the first move is a cheap way to avoid playing as black. Is there a good reason for this not resulting a loss? Surely accepting a challenge is a commitment as much as moving a piece. I'm not an expert in chess match rules, so if someone could give me an analogy to "real world" physical matches, I'd appreciate it. I haven't joined as a paying member specifically because of this lack of enforcement. Sure, the folks at chess.com say they restrict players who do this often, but that is between them and the other player. I was still slighted and should receive a victory for my opponent failing to "show up".

I agree. When somebody can easily do things that manipulates their rating, the validity of the ratings system suffers.

When you abandon a game you normally end up playing the same color you would have the last game. I abandon games because so and so plays an opening i'm not interesting in playing. As in a 30 minute game and one were to play b4 I would abort because i'm interested in a serious opening and game. If you abort a game too many times it eventually costs you rating to abort and you lose that game. There is a system in place to prevent abuse and even if it did somehow give a person an edge then with thousands of people playing at once I hardly think it's very effective. People lose as white as well.

Definitely a lost. Should be double normal rating points

And how did you get that I can't play against b4 out of that? I said I would much rather play an actually enjoyable game from e4/d4. Work on your reading skills.

No, it shouldn't be a loss, the reason is simple, its true that some players never play as black pieces, normally they are not very high rated but sometimes happen that the internet connection is bad, and thanks to that you lose 15 seconds of your time, in blitz or bullet games this is really important, in 3 min games or 1 min games this is a lot, sometimes happen to me and I prefer to abort, to me it doesn't matter if I am playing white or black, but it matters if I lose some time thanks to my poor internet, thats why it shouldn't be a loss.

WTF? People can play whatever opening they want. Ur gonna decide what openings people are allowed. So u abort in any opening other than d4/e4. So immature and pathetic

I thought it was a loss. Even in my very limited experience that has happened more than once and I have always been awarded a win.

I think it's dishonorable to quit without making your first move, unless there is some rare, special circumstance (e.g., a power outage, a suddenly family emergency, etc.)

You agreed to play the game.  Your opponent could have played someone else.  Now that he has committed to play with you, why should he have to wait while you quit, find a new opponent, etc.

These things strike me as incredibly lame:

• only playing as white.  Don't play chess if this is your approach.  
• refusing to play against certain white openings.  If you want to do this, get a computer and play versus it.

These things are tantamount to saying "I'm a child who only wants to play if I will win".  Sorry, chess isn't the game for you.

Yes, quitting should absolutely count as a loss.  It would in face-to-face play.

It's online chess. I don't have to play against an opening that isn't serious. Just out of preference I would rather prepare for something more common in real life games. How is my aborting a game limiting the way someone else plays? Your logic is flawed. Find something else to argue about.

Strongly agree with OP, I'm against abortions. It is easy enough for even a retard to understand....don't accept the game if you don't want to play. This is also a quick and easy fix for chess.com.....just give the opponent the points if game is aborted....then see how many people abort, will cut down on it like 90% I bet.

I believe standard match rules state that if your opponent fails to show up after accepting a match, then after a specified amount of time (20 minutes?) the match is forfeit and you win. I'm not asking to change the rules in some way, just asking why current rules aren't enforced.