Holidays and timeouts

Appologies to those who have been members for a while as I am sure this must have been brought up before, but a friend who plays on another site was telling me that they have a 'postponement' facility to use while they go on holiday. I believe they are allowed an annual allowance of about 30 days to be used as and when required. I'm not really bothered about lossing rating points from timeouts, but I in touraments and clan league matches I would see this as a real advantage. This means you can postpone the need to move for 1/2 weeks.

ps I did actually join the other site (to play my friend) and have to say that our software is superior

If you aren't going to be able to play for 30 days then you will probably get timed out. As it should be.

If you aren't going to play for maybe a week at a time a couple of times a year play with a longer timeout.

Originally posted by XanthosNZ
If you aren't going to be able to play for 30 days then you will probably get timed out. As it should be.

If you aren't going to play for maybe a week at a time a couple of times a year play with a longer timeout.

The 30 days is an annual maximum (no one is suggesting postponing games for 30 days in one hit although technically possible). Because tournaments with mutiple rounds go on quite often for more than a year (and this is only 3 day timeout tournaments) it's ridicleous to suugest do not play in them because you take an annual 14 day holiday (where internet access may be problematic). If you would not benefit from such a facility why not just be nuetral rather than negative? every change on the site is not going to suit everyone but if every other change suited most then overall eveyone would benefit in the long run.

Originally posted by stevetodd
The 30 days is an annual maximum (no one is suggesting postponing games for 30 days in one hit although technically possible). Because tournaments with mutiple rounds go on quite often for more than a year (and this is only 3 day timeout tournaments) it's ridicleous to suugest do not play in them because you take an annual 14 day holiday (where internet a ...[text shortened]... eryone but if every other change suited most then overall eveyone would benefit in the long run.

I'm negative not neutral because I don't want to see tournament rounds take 30 or more days longer because someone has decided they want a vacation.

Originally posted by XanthosNZ
I'm negative not neutral because I don't want to see tournament rounds take 30 or more days longer because someone has decided they want a vacation.

The thirty day option is too open to abuse, I think, especially in tournaments where one game could hold an entire tournament hostage becuase someone decides to go on vacation.

It comes down to each person's responsibility when entering tournaments: if you don't think you're capable of finishing a tournament or regular game within the time parameters, then don't enter! It forces you to think twice about future plans.

Originally posted by DOlivier2004
The thirty day option is too open to abuse, I think, especially in tournaments where one game could hold an entire tournament hostage becuase someone decides to go on vacation.

It comes down to each person's responsibility when ent ...[text shortened]... don't enter! It forces you to think twice about future plans.

Yes but as I said tournaments regularly run over a year, so it's not a case of suddenly deciding that you need a holiday people tend to take holidays annually (or bi-annually) anyway. After working my arse off without a holiday for 15 years there is no way I am never going to have another holiday, the way this forum is going seems I am in the minority anyway...so I will probably subscribe to the other site. But I take your point about tournaments being held up, maybe it could be 7 days a year not 30 (if someone goes away for 14 days they would have to absorb the other 7 from the timebank). As for the abuse I take it you mean players postponing games that they are doing badly in (god knows why but I know they do it...not as if you can stop the inevitable). Maybe there could be a nominal charge to activate this function, I think that would stop players merely postponing because they do not like their position.

If it means so much to you, make a plan to move during your vacation. There are many different ways to access the internet. Where there is a will there is a way. If you really, really can't, then reduce your game load in preparation. In general, spare your timebanks for when you really need them.

I like the current timeout/timebank scheme because it allows you to choose your time restraints, it's flexible, completely within your control, and fair to others.

You need to master the time-keeping just as much as the chess moves.

The only improvement I would like to see is the ability to view, at a glance on the games list, the amount of time remaining in each game before the timeout is reached, and also the time remaining before both the the timeout and timebanks are exhausted. At the moment we have to do this calculation mentally.

Originally posted by Gatecrasher
If it means so much to you, make a plan to move during your vacation. There are many different ways to access the internet. Where there is a will there is a way. If you really, really can't, then reduce your game load in preparation. I ...[text shortened]... u need to master the time-keeping just as much as the chess moves.

I can manage my time well enough! The problem (and I assumed it effected other players too, but judging by the negative response obviously not) is that I prefer frequent moves myself so I would have no interest in say playing the 7 or 14 day clan league (or similarly timed tournaments). I am only asking about genuine holiday cover but remain playing 1 and 3 day timeout games....the answer is simple I'm going to subscibe to the other site (Cludi if you read this obviously I will play out my clan league games, I will just overlap with membeship of the 2 sites for a few months).

Originally posted by stevetodd
Appologies to those who have been members for a while as I am sure this must have been brought up before, but a friend who plays on another site was telling me that they have a 'postponement' facility to use while they go on holiday. I believe they are allowed an annual allowance of about 30 days to be used as and when required. I'm not really bothered ...[text shortened]... d actually join the other site (to play my friend) and have to say that our software is superior

whats the other site that you've joined? Im not ready to join another one yet but i do like using other sites to compare what features are on offer etc.

It should be possible to find an internet cafe while on holiday - since some players seem to abuse the protections we have now adding to them is not a good idea, unless a watertight system can be devised. Timeouts occur automatically in tournaments and the Clan leagues - so I'm holding off moving agaisnt leov to give him as much time as possible, as he's explained what was going on and was patient when I wanted to play the opening pretty slowly.