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Etiquette for RHP players

Etiquette for RHP players

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OM

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Dear RHPs,

I have joined to this site very recently, so, it was a difficult decision for me to start this discussion.

Believe me, this is not about “let’s force everyone to play quickly”. I am very tolerant to any preferences of RHP players : some play one move in 7 days (the rules would allow it), someone wants to have all game “in one sip”.
This is fine with me, really.

What is a little bit disappoint me, really, when the game has been started really quickly (5-15 moves a day), but then, when a position became hopeless for one player, he change the pace dramatically to something like one move in 5-6 days.

Probably, this can be considering as a high strategy to keep a rating higher?
What do yoy think?
🙄

O
Digital Blasphemy

Omnipresent

Joined
16 Feb 03
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28 Jan 04
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Originally posted by Oleg Margolin
Dear RHPs,

I have joined to this site very recently, so, it was a difficult decision for me to start this discussion.

Believe me, this is not about “let’s force everyone to play quickly”. I am very tolerant to any preferences of RHP players : some play one move in 7 days (the rules would allow it), someone wants to have all gam ...[text shortened]... bly, this can be considering as a high strategy to keep a rating higher?
What do yoy think?
🙄
Hi Oleg. First and foremost, welcome to RHP!

Now, don't feel discouraged. While the practice of drawing out a game from a hopeless position is generally frowned upon, it is not too uncommon. In fact, this is a fairly frequent complaint around here. Some folk will tell you that your opponent is taking more time due to their disadvantage, which may indeed be the case. All you can really do is ride it out. You've got the bull by the horns, so just be patient. I've been there myself, and I know it can be a real pain, but just be patient. They have to move eventually.

As far as keeping their rating higher, I've never really understood that. While I don't give a hoot about ratings myself, if I did I would want any game in which defeat was certain to be finished off as quickly as possible. Further wins on my part boosting my rating would make that loss more costly. In the end, finishing a hopeless game quickly is not only smart, but just plain good manners. That's my opinion of it atleast.

I hope my two cents helped Oleg. Once more, welcome to the best chess site in the world. I look forward to our games.

Best Regards,
Omnislash

f
Quack Quack Quack !

Chesstralia

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i believe that any "badness" here is extremely uncommon.

most common is for people to play the familiar opening positions like lightning, once an interesting position is reached they slow down, and contemplate at leasure - as rhp intends. this then generates a higher standard game. sometimes they dig themselves out of trouble.

this seems very good to me, personally i have trouble doing this - i try - but like a child in a candy store i just go for the first thing in front of me.

😵

R

London

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Being honest, it's a lot more fun to move in a game you think you're winning than one you know you're losing. If you're losing a lot of games at once, you may not even be inclined to log on to the site. Sorry, but that's human nature, although we should aim to behave better.

I must also confess that if you care about ratings and think your opponent's rating is on an upswing, it can be worth hanging on for a bit before settling the game (win, lose or draw.) Otherwise, as has been said above, the sooner you cut your losses, the better. (Actually all such tactics are irrelevant in the not-very long run - ratings home in on the right level very fast.)

There are a few ways to avoid having a sore loser drag the game out:
1. Where possible, play people rated at least as high as you.
2. Go for 3-day timeouts with a timebank instead of seven day timeouts.
3. Start a friendly conversation using the Message feature - that way the loser may not be so sore 😉

P
Mystic Meg

tinyurl.com/3sbbwd4

Joined
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28 Jan 04
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Originally posted by Oleg Margolin
Dear RHPs,

I have joined to this site very recently, so, it was a difficult decision for me to start this discussion.

Believe me, this is not about “let’s force everyone to play quickly”. I am very tolerant to any preferences of RHP players : some play one move in 7 days (the rules would allow it), someone wants to have all game “in one sip”.
T ...[text shortened]... bly, this can be considering as a high strategy to keep a rating higher?
What do yoy think?
🙄
Hey Oleg!

Yes, I have this happen also. Moves almost every day til someone gets down a couple pawns or a bishop. Now they move every 6 days or so.

Sometimes they are now thinking... but when it takes 6 days to make a forced move I get a bit antsy... But I guess everyone has the right to do what they want in the 7 days given.

Funny thing is, if you do the math using the rating formula that RHP uses you will find it is better to just finish the game and take the beating rather than save a bunch of bad games to be claimed lost later.

Anyone out there who thinks it is helping their rating to put a lost game off is wrong, it only brings your rating down faster than if you just take what is coming right away.

I always resign a bit early to keep things moving, unless I feel the other guy has a chance to blunder.

P-

C

Joined
28 Jan 04
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Unfortunatley, its quite common on these games sites (eg GoldToken, IYT, LittleGolem, GameKnot) for players to lose interest when the game suddenly turns against them. Best thing to do is to make a note of who you are playing, and decline to play them again.

OM

Joined
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Thanks everyone for their inputs.

I do agree completely, that everyone has a rigth to try to the very last moment and hope that a miracle will happen !

I have personally disagree with this theory, but it's my own point of view.

However, even if someone is following this theory it's better to keep a game running to have this opportunity.

What I am talking here it's the different matter - if someone has lost an interest to some game, just resign. Are you agree?

d
Elder Statesman

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While I have taken a back seat lately, as my profile says I am still accepting any challenge. Pity some don't actually read it before playing though 😉

Game 352674

P
Mystic Meg

tinyurl.com/3sbbwd4

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Originally posted by derek9037
While I have taken a back seat lately, as my profile says I am still accepting any challenge. Pity some don't actually read it before playing though 😉

Game 352674
It wasn't over before, but now it is.... You will suffer "Mate in 28" now!

P-

g

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Who knows

d
Elder Statesman

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Originally posted by game2gamenonstop
Who knows
While I accept anyone in such a winning position could make a mistake and let's say possibly stalemate his opponent, It definately isn't going to happen when your opponent suddenly slows down his rate of play dramatically!! yet is still moving in his other games.

All that does is focus me more and annoys me, I'll finish the game (either by play or more likely timeout if he doesn't move) and put him in my 'don't play this person again list'.

At the end of the day it's about sportsmanship, as I've said I'll accept any game irrespective of ranking, in return I think I'm not asking too much for an opponent to finish the game 😠

OM

Joined
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Derek, thank you for your last input.
It's like you're read my mind and put in writting

Game 348946

d
The Godfather

e8

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Hi Oleg, welcome to RHP, and to the Australia clan!

Yes, it's annoying when this happens. I personally tend to resign in hopeless situations. if it's merely difficult though, I try to keep moving. I have to confess though: when i start a session, i play the easier games first, just to 'get my eye in'. that generally means openings and games where i'm doing ok. i leave the difficult games for when i'm warmed up. if the session is short (as on, say, my 1/2 hr break at work) I might not get around to the harder games that time. as a consequence, i guess it works out that i move a bit faster in games where i am not losing. I know your comments weren't directed at me, since we haven't played, but maybe other players work the same way i do. I sympathise, though - it's frustrating having to wait for a win you deserve. I'm sure some players do operate the way you mentioned. I once played a guy who, to frustrate me, would offer a draw every single move, when he was clearly going to lose. this was in the days before you had to move while offering a draw, so it really slowed things down. eventually i won, and it was all the sweeter...

d
Elder Statesman

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Originally posted by Oleg Margolin
Derek, thank you for your last input.
It's like you're read my mind and put in writting

Game 348946
Thanks Oleg, it seems you also need to keep a 'don't play this person again list' 😉

As an aside, we share the same occupation, you must give me a game sometime and we can chat!!!

t

Joined
28 Jul 03
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30 Jan 04
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Oleg this is a good point to be discussed. The other respondence have all made good comments. One thing that happened to me when I first started playing 6 months ago was the worm hit many computers. The system I was using suffered and I was unable to log on. So I lost games. The people I played may have thought that I was going slow, however I was simply unable to log on.

When people go slow I just realise that you must have them worried. Feel good about that. It means you are playing well.
😏

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