Board Game Arena

Why some players prefer to take wins from games they don't even play than actually playing the game?

When I see that a player is not being able to play a live game I either cancel the game or move it to a turn-based game.

Even playing in the Arena I did that, I don't want to win just because my opponents are not able to play. It may occur for a variety of reasons we don't even know, and it doesn't matter, if you have some integrity you don't take wins like that.

Is it really that important to win games that should be friendly? Not even Arena is really that important, it is just a game.

It happened to me 5 times that for a reason or another I couldn't play and my opponents took the win immediatelly, like if they were just waiting for the second they could do it. Most of them are players that are top ranked. I lost some 50 ranking points because of that, but I rather be honest than do it to my opponents.

Even in turn-based games I already waited for more than 40 days for an opponent to play.

I turned a game into turn-based, my opponent instead of thanking me in the next match told me to hurry up even when I still had a lot of time...

That's a very complex subject and people really have different perception I think.

Few arenas ago, when you had a match after launching a game, there was no confirmation before it started, happened to me several time that I forgot I launched the game, coming back just few minutes after and was kicked-out, the new format is way better and avoids this. For arenas, I now only kick players out when they don't play, don't answer to my comments and I consider that I am well in the lead for the game.
There could be an exception with a defined who's playing so slow, always stays within boundaries but game is 2/3x longer, I hate that, if he/she pushes the limit I might end the game, will be a relief

In tournaments, I never kick players out. I once lost a tournament on a turn-based game where speed was bit too high for me and could not play at lunch time; when I told my opponent that he could have played fair, he explained that clock was part of the rule and it was a way to win. My feeling is that it is true in chess, in some live games, but I'd feel like cheating if I was winning a tournament on this. Well difference of perception...

Some players care more about the end result (win/lose) than about the journay (playing the game), and that's fine, to each their preference.

Whether you care more about one thing or the other, you agreed to play a game with some time limits, you should obey them. If you don't you can be punished. Some players may expel you not because the want the win, but because they want to tell you in no ambiguous terms that it's not OK to not stick to the table speed.

If you care about the play than about the result, then just ignore the loss and play another game.