What to do about someone who's almost untouchable on ELO board?

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tbhp
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Re: What to do about someone who's almost untouchable on ELO board?

Post by tbhp »

Games can be like how inspiration is for an artist. Sometimes there's games where everything comes naturally and you need very little time to make your moves. Sometimes there's games where you feel stuck, where you can't seem to put things in order and come up with something you are happy with. Then all of sudden, you know what you want to do and from that point onwards, it becomes a breeze.

Every game is different and to expect a player to play at the same rate in all their current games seems like a strange notion. Do you guys just look at the game, make your move and that's it?
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Meeplelowda
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Re: What to do about someone who's almost untouchable on ELO board?

Post by Meeplelowda »

tbhp wrote: 30 January 2026, 06:04 Why do you guys expect people to make their move every time they log on?
Who said "every time"? My post is about someone running out of time in one game, yet somehow having time to make moves throughout the day in other games. That demonstrates that they have the ability to make moves; they weren't on vacation or dealing with an emergency. So they get no leniency if they run out of time.
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tbhp
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Re: What to do about someone who's almost untouchable on ELO board?

Post by tbhp »

I explained in both my posts why someone would make their moves in some games, but not in some other games.

They are playing turn based the way it's meant to be played. Although obviously that doesn't excuse running out of time. At this point, they are playing with fire if they keep taking forever to make their moves.
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Meeplelowda
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Re: What to do about someone who's almost untouchable on ELO board?

Post by Meeplelowda »

tbhp wrote: 30 January 2026, 07:16 Although obviously that doesn't excuse running out of time. At this point, they are playing with fire if they keep taking forever to make their moves.
And that's all I'm talking about: actually running out of time after doing this. I never said anything of the sort that you can't use your time up however you want. I can, however, decide based on how you used your time whether you're going to get the benefit of the doubt.
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tbhp
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Re: What to do about someone who's almost untouchable on ELO board?

Post by tbhp »

Meeplelowda wrote: 30 January 2026, 07:46
tbhp wrote: 30 January 2026, 07:16 Although obviously that doesn't excuse running out of time. At this point, they are playing with fire if they keep taking forever to make their moves.
And that's all I'm talking about: actually running out of time after doing this. I never said anything of the sort that you can't use your time up however you want. I can, however, decide based on how you used your time whether you're going to get the benefit of the doubt.
Benefit of the doubt about what? My point is that they aren't doing anything wrong, so the way they play shouldn't affect how you judge them once they run out of time. You should judge them the same way as anyone who runs out of time.

Also, FrankJones was complaining about someone who hasn't run out of time yet.
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Meeplelowda
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Re: What to do about someone who's almost untouchable on ELO board?

Post by Meeplelowda »

tbhp wrote: 30 January 2026, 08:06
Meeplelowda wrote: 30 January 2026, 07:46
tbhp wrote: 30 January 2026, 07:16 Although obviously that doesn't excuse running out of time. At this point, they are playing with fire if they keep taking forever to make their moves.
And that's all I'm talking about: actually running out of time after doing this. I never said anything of the sort that you can't use your time up however you want. I can, however, decide based on how you used your time whether you're going to get the benefit of the doubt.
Benefit of the doubt about what? My point is that they aren't doing anything wrong, so the way they play shouldn't affect how you judge them once they run out of time. You should judge them the same way as anyone who runs out of time.

Also, FrankJones was complaining about someone who hasn't run out of time yet.
If how they are playing causes them to run out of time, by definition they doing something wrong. Maybe they should spend less time waiting for "inspiration" and just move.

I'm not FrankJones. He can speak for himself. Quoting him neither endorses nor incorporates by reference everything he says.

And once again you are going on as if you are the unique arbiter of what is just and moral like you have in other threads. So I'm going to do us both a favor and block your posts now.
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ChiefPointThief
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Re: What to do about someone who's almost untouchable on ELO board?

Post by ChiefPointThief »

Shivaware wrote: 30 January 2026, 06:36
FrankJones wrote: 30 January 2026, 05:23 I have a game going right now that is excruciating. My opponent logs in a few times a day, but usually does not make a move. Didn't respond to my greeting when the game started. This player has had 3 forfeits and q14 time violations in recent games.

I have already given a red thumb because this is nonsense. If this player goes 0:01 into the red, I will instantly forfeit him, or her.
Since you've helpfully given enough information to uniquely identify this player,
Which is done constantly in forums but yet him and others wanted to make a big deal about it in the wrldtrvlr thread 🤷‍♂️
FrankJones
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Re: What to do about someone who's almost untouchable on ELO board?

Post by FrankJones »

My apologies for any confusion I caused.

What I was trying to convey is this:

1) I do not expect someone to make a move every time that player is logged in.

2) I DO expect players to make their moves within the allotted tome, unless there is an emergency (family, medical, etc.)

3) So, if I see that a player has not logged in for 3 days, I assume some sort of emergency or life issue has occurred, and I grant leeway.

4) But, if I see the player has been logging in and making moves in other games, but choosing not to make moves in the game against me, I won't be in a mood to grant leeway if the timer goes into the red. I also take into consideration how many forfeits and clock violations the player has had in the recent history.

5) It was not my intent to refer to any one specific player. I have multiple games in progress against slow players who moves infrequently, but they are making moves within the time limits agreed upon, so all is good.

6) Regardless of language, there's little excuse not to say some sort of greeting at the start of the game, especially when the other player does so. Anyone with an internet connection can use the translate feature, or ,just say the equivalent of "Hello" in any language. It doesn't have to be the same language as the person who wrote "Hello".
FrankJones
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Re: What to do about someone who's almost untouchable on ELO board?

Post by FrankJones »

Shivaware wrote: 30 January 2026, 06:36
FrankJones wrote: 30 January 2026, 05:23 I have a game going right now that is excruciating. My opponent logs in a few times a day, but usually does not make a move. Didn't respond to my greeting when the game started. This player has had 3 forfeits and q14 time violations in recent games.

I have already given a red thumb because this is nonsense. If this player goes 0:01 into the red, I will instantly forfeit him, or her.
Since you've helpfully given enough information to uniquely identify this player, I'll note that she doesn't list English as a language she speaks, and is playing 25 other games at the same time. She has over 32 hours left on the 1 move/day speed you've accepted to play with. All of the forfeits were in games with 4 or 24 moves per day, of which she currently has no others going right now.

I'm similarly impatient when I'm playing, but at least BGA allows you to specify an enforced speed if that's what you are looking for. There are players on another site without enforced speeds that have over 100 games in progress. They log in many times a day, but it still takes them 2 or 3 days to play their moves. There's no sense getting angry with them since they're playing as fast as they can. But sure, by all means, red thumb them so you never have to deal with them again!
I'm not angry.
:)

I have two games in progress that are moving at a frustratingly slow pace (although neither player has gone into the red, yet).

I dislike the slow turn-based settings. I select them as "wiling to play" only because I otherwise cannot get games started. Most of my opponents move quickly despite the slow turn based settings. I assume they pick that setting to give a cushion in case something happens.

If someone actually does make literally one move per day, causing a game to take 14 days for a short game that only lasts 14 turns, that doesn't fit my playstyle well, so I'll probably give a red thumb - not because that player is doing anything wrong, but because I'd just rather not be matched with such players. This also helps protect the other player, because in my experience, such players tend to eventually go into the negative.
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