Disconnecting rather than resigning.

I can't count how many times I've been playing a game and it's clear that I have a winning position and my opponent, rather than resigning, just disconnects so that I have to wait until the clock runs down to win. This is unbelievably rude. Can a policy be instituted such that people who repeatedly do this are barred from playing?

arachnophile, we have one in place. See our Fair Play Policy.

Thanks. But how is this rule enforced? Does the system automatically people who do this? Or do the transgressors need to be reported? I hate to be a whiny tattler, but it is immensely frustrating when people do this.

I don't play Live Chess much anymore, only played a few games here and haven't had anyone disconnect on me. Another chess server I've been a member for fifteen years will store a disconnected game to be resumed later. They have a way of adjudicating lost games should your opponent refuse to resume the game. As an alternative they have what is called "noescape", which means both players agree that in the event of a disconnect, for whatever reason, is an automatic forfeit. At least there you don't have to wait for the clock to run down. I've read other threads on this topic and it appears chess.com will allow you to start another game while the clock runs down on your opponent who disconneted. I suppose that is fine unless your opponent re-connects and resumes play...then you'd have to play two games simultaneously.

Best advice is to not let it get under your skin. Because of the other servers policy, I have never had a problem with those who disconnect. My problem was those who let the clock run down without disconnecting, which seems to have the same effect of disconnecting here. Rather than get frustrated, I would just use the time to do something else, I would either watch another game, get a snack, check email, etc.

There are a lot of players on this site who are very immature.

Once I was accused of cheating by a player about 500 rating points above me because it took him like 40 or 45 moves to beat me in a Queens gambit declined game. It was very even in the opening and mid game but an end game error cost me the game. He later apologized for calling me a cheater.

About a thousand times I have been in a winning position, and I either have had to sit and wait for my opponents clock to hit 0 or he would disconnect and make me wait either way.

I don't know how many times I have had to play black when seeking new opponents b/c many people automatically decline games in which they are not white. I'm probably more comfortable now playing as black than white because of this...

I have had certain players call me a "lucky idiot" or other things after my opponent makes a blunder or I make a good move.

I have had other people decline games for me turning chat off for some reason more people decline games when chat is off, but I'm not in a chess game to chit chat I'm in a chess game to play chess. If I wanted to talk I'd get on facebook.

I have had players beg for draws after my opponent makes a clearly losing blunder from a more or less even game.

I have been called a cheater for simply winning a game... If I was going to be a cheater my rating wouldn't be hovering around 1600 lol... I'd be like 2000-2500 if I actually used a computer to aid me in my play.

Most people on here seem apathetic or nice, but there are a handful of bad apples that ruin the experience.

Thanks. There are indeed, many immature people. And many very nice ones too. 

I just now was playing someone, rated a bit lower than I, which was reflected in his play, because he was losing, and he began posting a litany of comments like "I will destroy you, stupid. You have no game." (Rife with mispellings, even with the small words) The most amusing one was "I am not even paying attention. I am watching TV. I will destroy you!"   (Ha ha! I almost fell over laughing at that one.) And then he continued to lose and posted "play again and I will destroy you!" Needless to say I declined this inviting offer. But that sort of thing is mostly just hilarious, and highlights the sad and pathetic lives of misery and solitude some people are forced to lead because they have been congenitally afflicted with, to use a technical term, "douche-baggery." The disconnecting issue is more frustrating. I can understand that maybe some people have bad connections and it is not intentional, but it's pretty obvious when there is no disconnect during the entire game and then the opponent disconnects immediately after making a blunder. I blunder too, but when I do, I resign and start another game. I also take responsibility for my blunders and don't blame the TV, nor get angry and abusive at an opponet who has the audacity to be a better player than I am.

But does anyone know if the system actively tracks people who just disconnect when they are losing or when they get the black pieces? Or is it the responsibility of the people on the recieving end of their discourteous behavior to flag them?