Chess Decorum

Hi all!

I was playing a chess tournament once, and even if I had a favorable position, I still lost the game when my opponent started questioning a touch move. I admitted I touched the piece, and was going to move it, but I had not released yet so I had the option of using the piece but moving it elsewhere.  He called the arbiter, and though it was never part of our conversation before the arbiter came, he claimed that I released it a bit and was therefore claiming I was dishonest with what transpired.  It got me off the game for if I really did it, I will admit the fact.  After all, chess requires our strict observation of the rules, and we are governed by decorum and we should play with fairness.  For me, chess is like golf, where a golfer would usually admit if he did something wrong that requires a point penalty.

Now, behaving in Chess.com is also like that. We are governed by decorum where honesty and fair play should be foremost in our minds.  Though we are competitors, we are still ruled by our observation of fair play with our opponents. Unfortunately, this did not happen with a recent incident. We have lost our super administrator, Charles_Frey because other chess.com members employ rude tactics to ridicule somebody who I know off-line is a well-mannered and polite person.  He did not deserve to be ridiculed by his opponents. I am not mentioning any of them because they know who they are.

What I am critical of is the handling of chess.com of what transpired.  Will they be like the arbiter who just decides on the ruling on any dispute. Or should they impose a decorum among players, and intervene early so things don't exacerbate when a member can break down and choose not to be a member of Chess.com? I know chess.com can't do anything when a member decides to terminate membership, but what could they do so that a member does not decide on termination when he finds other members to be overbearing and without a strict imposition of rules of conduct get their way. Like Chess Association, Ashburn Chess Club lost an indefatigable organizer,  one who actively promotes the groups and Chess.com in general.  If Chess.com will not govern properly and will not intercede for people who just want fair play and decorum by ignoring the shenanigans of unscrupulous elements, then it might be time to reconsider an end of membership, especially of paid ones.  We will earnestly await from Chess.com of any plans to prevent what has happened from recurring again.

Herky del Mundo