Traders Are The Worst (or, "Why not just play checkers")

Online poker is rigged.

Absolutely. Anyone who says differently is a fool or part of the online poker industry. But people should feel free to find out for themselves.

Traders are the worst. These are the players who aim to tradeoff all the pieces as quickly as possible, usually within the first 10-15 moves. What motivates a player to do this? Laziness. Depression. Lack of tactical skill, etc...

In any case, I find there are a LOT of players here on Chess.com who are basically just passing time, using chess as an excuse not to go anywhere or do anything. This is REALLY frustrating when I sit down to play a good game, hoping to increase my rating. The Trader isn't interested in  a "good game", they just want to pass the time. Usually they don't even have endgame skills per se...  sometimes they are a combination of Traders and Bean-Counters (players who spend the whole game counting pawns), and that is kind of like going to a dance club on Saturday night, and the place is empty and I've paid to get in, but I'm the only one at the club. 

So just think that that is dirty and very low-class: using boredom as a weapon in chess. If you play at a real club OTB, no one uses these pathetic anti-strategies because everyone is really trying to play their best game. Just trading everything every time is too risky for a serious player trying to win at all costs. 

Is there a way to avoid these incarcerated, homeless time-wasters?

Can players be flagged for purposefully playing bad chess?

Traders are the worst. These are the players who aim to tradeoff all the pieces as quickly as possible, usually within the first 10-15 moves. What motivates a player to do this? Laziness. Depression. Lack of tactical skill, etc...

Maybe just a different style?

In any case, I find there are a LOT of players here on Chess.com who are basically just passing time, using chess as an excuse not to go anywhere or do anything.

I mean, Chess is a game...

This is REALLY frustrating when I sit down to play a good game, hoping to increase my rating. The Trader isn't interested in  a "good game", they just want to pass the time.

Yet they still beat you

Usually they don't even have endgame skills per se...  sometimes they are a combination of Traders and Bean-Counters (players who spend the whole game counting pawns), and that is kind of like going to a dance club on Saturday night, and the place is empty and I've paid to get in, but I'm the only one at the club. 

Being up pawns is just having a material advantage? I dont get the club analogy either

So just think that that is dirty and very low-class: using boredom as a weapon in chess. If you play at a real club OTB, no one uses these pathetic anti-strategies because everyone is really trying to play their best game. Just trading everything every time is too risky for a serious player trying to win at all costs. 

A real OTB player will research your games before playing and see that you struggle to grind out equal positions and take advantage of your weaknesses. So no, "real" club players will still do this if you demonstrate that you're incapable of playing against that.

Is there a way to avoid these incarcerated, homeless time-wasters?

So you want to avoid players because they play a certain way? Sounds unethical

Can players be flagged for purposefully playing bad chess?

No, not only because that sounds stupid, it's also completely inside the rules of chess to play a certain way

Traders are the worst. These are the players who aim to tradeoff all the pieces as quickly as possible, usually within the first 10-15 moves. What motivates a player to do this? Laziness. Depression. Lack of tactical skill, etc...

In any case, I find there are a LOT of players here on Chess.com who are basically just passing time, using chess as an excuse not to go anywhere or do anything. This is REALLY frustrating when I sit down to play a good game, hoping to increase my rating. The Trader isn't interested in  a "good game", they just want to pass the time. Usually they don't even have endgame skills per se...  sometimes they are a combination of Traders and Bean-Counters (players who spend the whole game counting pawns), and that is kind of like going to a dance club on Saturday night, and the place is empty and I've paid to get in, but I'm the only one at the club. 

So just think that that is dirty and very low-class: using boredom as a weapon in chess. If you play at a real club OTB, no one uses these pathetic anti-strategies because everyone is really trying to play their best game. Just trading everything every time is too risky for a serious player trying to win at all costs. 

Is there a way to avoid these incarcerated, homeless time-wasters?

Can players be flagged for purposefully playing bad chess?

Again: I, and many others, make a full time living out of playing online poker. If you're convinced it's rigged - you're a fish. Period. 

They do that so they can quickly get to an endgame where they can clobber you. The exact same thing you described has happened to me many times. So instead of complaining, I got better at endgames. 

Other people employ a similar tactic. Instead of trading pieces they clobber you in the opening. The solution is the same though. Instead of complaining, get better at openings. 

Again: I, and many others, make a full time living out of playing online poker. If you're convinced it's rigged - you're a fish. Period. Most Chess players are used to playing a meaningless board game with all information visible to both sides. Once they have to step into a real gaming arena with unknown information, zero roadmap for how to go about playing the hand, and real money on the line: They fold up like a cheap suit. 

Chess: Board game with nothing on the line. 

Poker: Big business and amazingly deep strategic contest with tons of money and prestige on the line. 

Don't be a drooler. Play Poker.