How do you avoid getting paired with someone who declines to play with you?

[stevage]

I assume this happens to other people too:

1. Search for a 2 player game
2. Get matched with player X, click accept
3. Player X declines to start (presumably because they are looking for a stronger opponent?)
4. Search for a 2 player game
5. Get matched with player X
6. Repeat forever.

Is there a way to prevent this? The only thing I have found that works is either wait a long time till they get a game with someone else, or search for them and block them. (Even though I'm happy to play with them...)

This is happening to me with Carcassonne. (I have specific preferences: Traders and Builders, strategic variant, fast game, international rules...)

[cigma]

I agree this can be annoying.

3. Player X declines to start (presumably because they are looking for a stronger opponent?)

How could you know? Have you tried to contact them and ask them? And if you are right, you could explain them how to set the game parameters for searching stronger opponents, which were helpful for both of you.

[Sjarmtrollet]

If I decline a game it's because
1. I misclicked (when joining)
2. I realized there were settings I don't want to play with
3. I changed my mind about playing the game

[Jellby]

Keep insisting until they either (a) accept, (b) log off, (c) red-thumb you, (d) learn how to set up preferences.

[Raymond-L]

There are 2 ways that both player can use.
1. Give them a private red thumb: This can be annoying and time consuming, but it won't affect their reputation, and it effectively block you from being matched with them in any mode. You can hand out as many private red thumbs as you want, you don't have to give out 5 green thumbs for each private red thumb.
2. Set a level restriction: The downside is obviously that you can't filter out someone in the same level, and you may miss some chances to match other players, but you won't have to visit their profile page to do this.

BTW, I really think you should take your chance to tell your opponent that they can do this. It will save them time in the future, and many players are painfully ignorant of how they can utilize the site to improve their matchmaking experience.