Timeout rules

[spion]

Hi!

Over and over again, players (especially if loosing) start playing very slowly, using up to nearly 15 minutes per move.

Though it is considered unfair and unsportive, the server does not do anything.

Perhaps its time for a change.

My proposal is:

- If a player is online, he will get only 5 minutes for a move no matter what he is doing: just not moving or even even leaving the room.

- If a player got disconnected, he will get 15 minutes to return back, but he will get only a total of 25 minutes disconnection time. If he is offline for more than 25 minutes, he will loose, no matter why, even if his last disconnection only lasted 1 minute.

What do you think about it?

Best regards
spion

[-deleted312]

I think 5 minutes is a bit short. Not to move necessarily, but I have encountered more than one game where my opponent or I was delayed for a few minutes. In all cases my opponents have been good sports and either returned in a timely manner or allowed me to do so.

I would prefer to have a 10 minute break for such a case, even if each player is allowed only one delay like this per game. Can you program a one time only 5+ minute delay, then 5 minutes only thereafter?

Thank you again, spion for your work on this great site.

davius

[-deleted129]

Hello spion,

I must say that I never encountered a player who uses this sick strategy I can imagine that it is very frustrating to wait minutes for your opponent (in a clear losing posistion) to make simple move after simple move.

Your proposal looks fine to me, I think it will solve most of the problems.

I can think I can ALWAYS make a move within 5 minutes, but I also can understand other players maybe need more then 5 mins to make a difficult or win-or-loose move.
Are they loosing the game if they don't make a move within the 5 mins??


Thanks,
Wussy

PS
Since I've got the client installed I never get disconnected.
Before without client it happened occaisionally.
For me the client works excellent: no discons, fast board pop-up.
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S t r a t e g o - C l u b - N a p o l e o n

[googoomuck]

Five minutes per move is still way too long. At Meta it's set for 90 seconds per move and it's still annoying when someone starts dragging out his moves when he's in a lost or losing position. Isn't the bronstein clock supposed to function like a chess clock? IE if your time for the game is set for 30 minutes, your clock is ticking when it's your move and it stops after you click OK.
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[spion]

Hi!

you are absolutely right. Bronstein clock is the solution for players who do have only a known short amount of time.
The Bronstein clock was intended to prevent people from using the full 15 minutes to make a move.

But since many players dont use it, the above thoughts about another timeout rule came to my mind.

90 seconds is too short. I guess i will take some aspects out of judiced's idea.

Perhaps something like this:

- 2 "long moves" or disconnects with up to 15 minutes allowed
- 5 minutes per move (or up to 5 minutes to come back after disconnect)

Best regards
spion