Why?

>Why do some opponents get upset when they are timed out? The clock is part of the rules of chess and it doesn't matter how far you are ahead in material or position; if your clock expires, you lose. If a player can't manage the time on his clock, the loss is his fault.
>I point this out on my profile page. In OTB play as well as on RHP, I do not hesitate to claim a win on time. I teach my students to do the same. When I see a skull, I click it immediately without even thinking about it, no matter what the situation on the board.
>I do state in my profile that if I'm asked in advance not to click a skull, I will not do so, but otherwise that skull gets clicked fast. My opponents know this before the game even begins, or at least they should, so why do some get upset with me and send me insulting messages, when they lose according to the rules?
>My Ignore List only keeps growing because of this.

it's a character flaw. ignore and move on.

Originally posted by AttilaTheHorn
>Why do some opponents get upset when they are timed out? The clock is part of the rules of chess and it doesn't matter how far you are ahead in material or position; if your clock expires, you lose. If a player can't manage the time on his clock, the loss is his fault.
>I point this out on my profile page. In OTB play as well as on RHP, I do not hesi ...[text shortened]... , when they lose according to the rules?
>My Ignore List only keeps growing because of this.

That's too bad. Skulls were made to cracked. I would not let these sore losers bother me one bit. As you say, it is within the rules and games are accepted within agreed time constraints. No different than flag falling in OTB chess.

I remember one time my opponent had a mate-in-one on me... and he took it! I was flabbergasted. We had a great game, and it easily could have continued, but he decided to take the easy win and end the game immediately.

I know it was within the rules, but really, the audacity of it all. Some people.

This is not to uncommon, perhaps some players on here do not take skulls.

(maybe they don't realise they can - some don't even know the rules of the game.)

And remember that lad last year who came on and said a yellow skull
has appeared, what does it mean?

(I told him it meant his opponent had set him a trap so don't touch it) 🙂

So if one merry chap has run out of time and not been skulled
then the 'unskuller' (a new word). Has done them more harm than good
by letting them think they will get away with it all the time.

So come the happy day when they log on and find a timeout loss they
get all upset.

Click the skull, take the point, if you get a scorching PM then say if
you did not click the skull right away then he would have lost
one game for everyday the skull remains 'unclicked'.

He will thank you for skulling him and become your new RHP friend.

>So if one merry chap has run out of time and not been skulled
then the 'unskuller' (a new word). Has done them more harm than good
by letting them think they will get away with it all the time.<

How about "skull disdainer?"

Skull Disdainer:

One who refrains from takings skulls on RHP.

Yup. That's it.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
This is not to uncommon, perhaps some players on here do not take skulls.

(maybe they don't realise they can - some don't even know the rules of the game.)

And remember that lad last year who came on and said a yellow skull
has appeared, what does it mean?

(I told him it meant his opponent had set him a trap so don't touch it) 🙂

So if one m emains 'unclicked'.

He will thank you for skulling him and become your new RHP friend.

I respectfully disagree.

You have to realize that most people on here play solely for fun; after all there is nothing to be won and no incentive to win. (OMG I get 14 rating points!!! Suddenly my life has meaning.)

Because I enjoy most of the games I play, and get to know a lot of nice people through them, I don't see any reason to suddenly cut the game I was enjoying short. Obviously, anyone that makes the choice to skull upon sight is well within their rights for doing so, I just don't see any reason to. If it's a position that's probably won, I will get a little practice converting the win, If it's even there is a good chance it's interesting enough to keep playing, and if I'm lost, taking the win will just overly inflate my rating to the point where I end up tumbling back down to where I belong anyway.

I'm not sure of all the incentives for taking a skull, but the main ones are probably the rating points, pissing off their opponents, doing it "because they can," or because they feel disrespected by their opponents for not moving within the time limits.

If rating points really mean that much to anyone, then they're free to take the skull, but personally I feel the number next to my name on an online chess site is meaningless. And if they want to anger their opponents into outbursts such as the OP mentioned, again they're within their rights, but the warm fuzzy feeling they get from posting such outbursts in the forum and having everyone else laugh at them is probably pretty short lived.

The main justification I hear most people give is that time is part of the game, and the people deserve to lose for neglecting it. Someone will surely point out that if your flag falls in an OTB game, you'd claim the win as well. Personally, I don't feel that way, because in OTB, unlike CC, you generally get something for winning, and the games are usually taken much more seriously. I can't imagine that many people would make a fuss about insisting on stopping the game if their time ran out in a friendly OTB game. Do you refuse to let your daughter take her move back because tournament rules say touch move? I regard games on here like friendly games OTB.

I've found that in most cases there are real people behind the avatars, and they have real lives as well. Of course they shouldn't take games if they cannot move within the time constraints, but emergencies happen too. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that I'll gain more by finishing the interesting game or our conversation and making a friend, (I've made quite a few, you'd be surprised how nice some people are that generally seem like world-class dicks in the forum or otherwise,) then in spitefully smashing the skull and giving myself the pat the back.

Again, I have no hard feelings against those who mindlessly skull, but in general I feel they would gain more by playing on. Obviously, if your opponent leaves or starts ignoring the game, by all means click the skull. Otherwise, if it's just a one or two time thing, I'd say give it a try and resist taking it. You will show you true strength by showing that you had the opportunity to end it, but showed pity and game them another chance.

"He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still." - Lao Tzu

Give it a try, it feels good. 🙂

BTW- I can assure you that everyone is aware people will take the skull, considering that around 60% or people or RHP will give a strong statement about crushing skulls in their profiles.

Originally posted by AttilaTheHorn
>Why do some opponents get upset when they are timed out? The clock is part of the rules of chess and it doesn't matter how far you are ahead in material or position; if your clock expires, you lose. If a player can't manage the time on his clock, the loss is his fault.
>I point this out on my profile page. In OTB play as well as on RHP, I do not hesi ...[text shortened]... , when they lose according to the rules?
>My Ignore List only keeps growing because of this.

I agree with wormwood. If some people can't deal with the rules. Ignore them. (Of course if you want a little entertainment, you could always irritate them a bit!)😀

Originally posted by clandarkfire
I respectfully disagree.

I second this.

Also: I would rather not skull this game Game 7356364 and hope that one day my opponent comes back to finish it.

Win by 'move timeout' makes my game history look untidy-ier

Originally posted by Paul Leggett
I remember one time my opponent had a mate-in-one on me... and he took it! I was flabbergasted. We had a great game, and it easily could have continued, but he decided to take the easy win and end the game immediately.

I know it was within the rules, but really, the audacity of it all. Some people.

I have 1 time out loss here.Had R+ 4 pawns vs R.I could've won by time out when things were less clear but didn't.Then I couldn't connect for 4 days due to problems at my provider's end and when I came back I had lost.
Not sure to laugh or pity the fool (Mr T! 🙂 )

I did find it a little unsportmanslike and put him on ignore list but,when I think about it,it doesn't really matter much,I got the practice I wanted and I guess he's happy with the points.Perhaps I should take him off the list.

Anyway,just wanted to say perhaps your opponent had a similar experience in the past and doesn't want to relive it.

toet.

>As of this moment, I have 247 wins by timeout and no losses by timeout. I can't help it if my opponent doesn't move within the prescribed time. Some won't move for days and the game stays there on my game list with no activity, so I decided to adopt the same policy used in OTB tournaments: claim any timeout win immediately if the opportunity presents itself. It keeps my games moving along and tidies up my game list.
>I had an opponent who got a draw by perpetual check recently and apologized to me because he felt that getting a draw this way was a bit unsportsman-like. Of course he had nothing to apologize for because if he hadn't done that, he would have lost, so he did the right thing. In the same way, it's correct to claim a win by timeout. It is in no way dishonorable or unsportsman-like and has nothing to do with getting a cheap win. Such a win is just as honorable as checkmate.

Originally posted by AttilaTheHorn
>Why do some opponents get upset when they are timed out? The clock is part of the rules of chess and it doesn't matter how far you are ahead in material or position; if your clock expires, you lose. If a player can't manage the time on his clock, the loss is his fault.
>I point this out on my profile page. In OTB play as well as on RHP, I do not hesi ...[text shortened]... , when they lose according to the rules?
>My Ignore List only keeps growing because of this.

Just had the same, took a skull Game 7259327, it was lovely and then got the typical stroppy PM

Super classy to timeout a game you are losing the second it is available. Did you not see the message "are you sure your opponent refuses to move" or some such?

Thanks, bud.

Normally I just put on ignore but decided to PM a response


Why do people moan when they get beaten by timeout?

If you notice your last move was made on 15 Jun '10 00:22 and I timed you out on 19 Jun '10 12:43 This means that 4 days 12 hours and 21 minutes elapsed. As its was only 3 days per move there must have been additional timebank, a maximum of 1 day 12 hours and 21 used by you as well. NOT EXACTLY THE SECOND IT BECAME AVAILABLE NOW WAS IT

If you are unable to make the moves within the agreed timescales then you risk being timed out. If you want to avoid this then put up the vacation sign.

Don't go crying to your opponents when they claim a win because you are unable to play within the timescales?

Did you moan to Tukumnieks who timed you out 30 minutes before I timed you out? Did you consider your opponents in the 82 games you have won by timeout?

Manage your time better, as no one is going to manage it for you.

Slainté

Originally posted by adramforall
Just had the same, took a skull Game 7259327, it was lovely and then got the typical stroppy PM

[b]Super classy to timeout a game you are losing the second it is available. Did you not see the message "are you sure your opponent refuses to move" or some such?

Thanks, bud.

Normally I just put on ignore but decided to PM a response

...[text shortened]... meout?

Manage your time better, as no one is going to manage it for you.

Slainté [/b][/b]

Absolutely correct! Time him out, and don't hesitate to do so. Don't wait around; time him out, fast! That's what I teach my students to do, and all of them have become pretty good at managing their time because I insist that the clock is part of the rules of the game. How often do you see a sports team run the opponent out of time? A lot, and sometimes the opponent runs himself out of time. It's no different in chess.

Originally posted by clandarkfire


BTW- I can assure you that everyone is aware people will take the skull, considering that around 60% or people or RHP will give a strong statement about crushing skulls in their profiles.[/b]

I notice that you have 123 timeout wins, 13.33% of your total wins. Perhaps you should follow your own advice.
BTW-Do you include yourself in the 60% of profiles?
This is what you have written on yours
'I am currently trying to drastically cut down on games, so I'll probably take the skull unless the position is interesting or we were having a worthwhile discussion.'