I'm ill in bed so I've been watching a fair bit of chess the last couple of days. One thing I've noticed is how incredibly unsporting some players are.
In two matches I've just watched with 2000+ ranked players playing 1+0 tournaments:
1) Someone offered a draw SEVEN times from a losing position, in an obvious attempt to disrupt his/her opponent
2) A 2300 player LEFT A GAME after blundering
I think we could improve things by actively discouraging this sort of behaviour. Perhaps the draw offer could stay "on the table" until it has been accepted or rejected, rather than being automatically rejected upon a move being made?
In addition, players who leave games in the middle could be prohibited from playing in tournaments. This would nip it in the bud immediately. Perhaps the developers would consider that, as leaving games is so common, and seems almost acceptable in some parts of the world, a player who leaves a game automatically resigns and brings the game to its conclusion.
Finally, I suggest that it should be made easier to see what one's opponent is like as a character. By having enhanced profiles where people have the option of a photo, and bits and pieces about them, plus their stats on the profile page, it would be easier to tell whether one is about to embark on an evening of fun or one of frustration.
Thank you for considering my argument.
In two matches I've just watched with 2000+ ranked players playing 1+0 tournaments:
1) Someone offered a draw SEVEN times from a losing position, in an obvious attempt to disrupt his/her opponent
2) A 2300 player LEFT A GAME after blundering
I think we could improve things by actively discouraging this sort of behaviour. Perhaps the draw offer could stay "on the table" until it has been accepted or rejected, rather than being automatically rejected upon a move being made?
In addition, players who leave games in the middle could be prohibited from playing in tournaments. This would nip it in the bud immediately. Perhaps the developers would consider that, as leaving games is so common, and seems almost acceptable in some parts of the world, a player who leaves a game automatically resigns and brings the game to its conclusion.
Finally, I suggest that it should be made easier to see what one's opponent is like as a character. By having enhanced profiles where people have the option of a photo, and bits and pieces about them, plus their stats on the profile page, it would be easier to tell whether one is about to embark on an evening of fun or one of frustration.
Thank you for considering my argument.