Sorry for a newbie post.

I only started playing .chess.com a little while ago, seems like I get into a lot of late game scenarios where people disconnect when loss is imminent. Does that mean they don't lose points but I gain points? Or are the disconnects like a matter of pride '**** this'? I guess what I'm asking if it's a bug in the system for rating or just people getting upset.

Just losers trying to annoy you, or hoping you'll close the window and lose by abandoning game or something, or maybe make a move late and hope you timeout.

There's no rating difference for the different ways of losing.

you said a bad word

Yeps, this happens. Just keep your calm, make sure you have your sound on (sometimes they come back hoping you have left and make a move... activating your clock...)

Luckily, most people don't do this.

ignorant patzers being rude is all.. I must admit tho that one time I was so absolutely disgusted at blowing a won game against a player much higher rated Also in the active process of taunting me with repeated comments and draw offers that upon blundering I immediately shut my browser off, promptly got up shouting "I freaking Hate chess". I simply had to walk away.. I could not face the reality of my utter and complete patzerdom.. My loss was terrible, my confidence shattered.  off course I was playing another game a few minutes later... but in general I try and treat others how I would like to be treated..

Thanks for the responses. I was curious about it the past couple days, whether or not it the d/c was a detriment to the other player. Thanks!

As soon as you get to levels where the game is decided by either the endgame or the first blunder this won't happen anymore.

People then will actually surrender when they screw up.

I saw my kid do this once, and kindly explained him why he shouldn't do this. He is only 4 years old, now he understands and I haven't seen him do it anymore.

Well, I usually forfeit when I lose a first piece and don't have any advantage. People seem to string stuff out. = 900-1000 play 15/10

your kid is 4 yeard olds and he plays chess  I started playing chess when I was 9

But at the same time, when u get to that level cheating becomes a huge issue.

Wow, I wouldn't forfeit after one piece at all.  For starters there is alot to be learned playing defensively and the tactics learned with the positional dynamics of just a few pieces will help your midgame in the future.  And believe this, I'm not rated much higher then you and the odds of your opponent giving that piece right back to you are pretty high.  When players are up they are more likely to play sloppy thinking the game is won, just read old forums about blown endgames, and also you are forcing them to be aggresive so you can sit back and hide bishops behind pawns and try to force tactics.  There is always the option to play really complicated positions and try to win on time, cheap but the burden is to mate in the time given..  Learn to play a correctly and more often then not at your rating you will get your piece back.  GL

Yeps, at our level your opponent will blunder too.

I don't see the point of a game going on when one person has a piece advantage and nothing wrong with their board position. It that case I don't really want to play upon someone ********** up in the first few minutes. I think I have a much higher win % with black than white because I don't know openings, I like to react. When the game is not in my control but-for someone to mess up I don't care much to play, that's a loss.

stop saying bad words as mentioned earlier there is a 4 year old playing on this site - who knows, what if he goes on the forums and sees a bad word and he goes to his dad and says it? that would be horrible

I go through phases were I really like black.  Openings aren't a big deal right now because neither side really knows them.  They think they do as in they know the first three moves of the Ruy, and Scholar's mate but really your game should be about tactics and classical center play.  Pick one way to open with white, your opening.  And play it so often that you see virtually every possible way to play it and you will learn alot of chess.  When i first came on here I played a reverse fried liver (Queen Pawn, Mason line) until I learned it was basically the London system. By using it so consistently I learned how not to hang pieces, tactics and likely endgame outcomes and even how to play a reverse london with black, which actualy works below 1200.   Watch Video's on here too mostly every decent one I have seen teaches me a single useful game winning tactic.  

One piece really is recoverable you are giving your opponent entirely too much credit.  Make him earn the win you are going to blunder and blunder often so Buck up Buttercup-

This is spot-on! People, like me, <1500 (at least) hang pieces with dissapointing regularity. I find that sometimes when I drop a piece I get a tempo and/or structural and/or clock-time compensation. Just like an intentional sacrafice! Sometimes this is enough to whip up an attack that gets material back, or even more. At lower ratings keep fighting until you have no counter-play at all.

my otb is 1806

Who knows if there are more over here? I just wanted to mention another possible explanation for what at first sight seems unfair behaviour.

What, "disconnect"???