I think there should be an option that if you win by a timeout that you can decline the rating points. I'd like to know my true rating and not get gift rating points on timeout wins. If I'm ahead in a game and my opponent decides just to quit rather than resign then I'm ok with getting the rating for that particular game. I think there should be an alert asking if you would like to accept the rating points from the timeout win.
After a certain number of moves maybe have that option go away so higher level players can't decline the rating points in a game they would of won anyway just to play in lower level tournaments.
In settings http://www.chess.com/home/echess_settings.html you will find you can uncheck "Auto-Win on Time". In non-tournament and non-team games you can manipulate your rating to be lower than the rating you should have by resigning games that timeout.
When you win a tournament game by timeout, that you think you do not deserve to win, go to your bank of timed out games and resign the oldest one. You have 60 days to do so before you get the win. This will artificially lower your rating so you will now be able to whip players with a rating higher than yours. Defeats the whole purpose of a rating system.
I think there should be an option that if you win by a timeout that you can decline the rating points. I'd like to know my true rating and not get gift rating points on timeout wins. If I'm ahead in a game and my opponent decides just to quit rather than resign then I'm ok with getting the rating for that particular game. I think there should be an alert asking if you would like to accept the rating points from the timeout win.
After a certain number of moves maybe have that option go away so higher level players can't decline the rating points in a game they would of won anyway just to play in lower level tournaments.