Cautions given To Rage Quitters and Disconnectors: are they really enforced?

Every once in a while I get dropped from the internet. But I always scramble to get right back on, and usually there is sufficient time to do that. It happens rarely.

But it seems like I frequently encounter people who just quit in the middle of a game without bothering to resign -- PARTICULARLY when they are losing.

When I say frequently, I mean several times per day, often.

I seldom just "claim the game" at the first possibility. I usually let the clock run quite a bit longer, in case the opponent was honestly just disconnected by the internet. It happens.

But sometimes, the opponent comes back on -- sees I'm still waiting -- and disconnects AGAIN.

It is simpler and more polite, not to say much more mature and emotionally reasonable, to just resign. But I've come to the conclusion that rage quitting and spite quitting is surprisingly and sadly common. Not just on LiChess, of course, but among internet chess play generally.

My feedback is this: I SEE that the quitters get nice little messages warning them not to do that. BUT -- are those messages ever or at least often genuinely enforced? It happens so often, that I must wonder. They don't seem to me to be particularly effective.

Could the server's algorithms be modfied to make sure that if somebody apparently rage quits or spite quits more than twice in one week, they are actually banned for a week? Or some other useful change of that sort?

LicChess is generally so nice, that it's disappointing that rage quitting and spite quitting is the one blemish that I encounter fairly often.

I'm not hoping that such people be banned forever -- or even for long periods. But right now, it doesn't seem like the nice little warnings are really making a difference.

> I SEE that the quitters get nice little messages warning them not to do that.

the message you see is actually for you, not for your opponent. it's there so you know that lichess is aware of what your opponent did. it wouldn't make much sense to warn your opponent in game chat – they left the game, so if they never return they wouldn't even see it.

> are those messages ever or at least often genuinely enforced?

yes. see all the people complaining about receiving "unfair" temporary bans lichess.org/forum/search?text=playban

The warning messages are not addressed to me. They are addressed to the rage-or-spite-quitter. I agree, that doesn't make a lot of sense if they can't ever see the message. I was hoping the message went to their notices, too. If it doesn't, why would they know that they are at risk of a ban. The "warning" seems largely a waste of time if they don't see it. Even if they "know the rules," THAT doesn't seem to be changing their behavior.

Regardless of what is intended, the current set up doesn't seem to be having a large impact. Is it possible to rethink it a bit? Perhaps make sure THEY are told? (the quitters) -- nobody really needs to tell the innocent opponent. They can't change THEIR behavior, and don't need to do so.

> The warning messages are not addressed to me.

no, obviously it's not *addressed* to you. but it is there *for* you.

> I was hoping the message went to their notices

yes, exactly.

> Regardless of what is intended, the current set up doesn't seem to be having a large impact.

lol. you were not here before the current system was implemented, were you?

> Perhaps make sure THEY are told?

they are told.

> nobody really needs to tell the innocent opponent. They can't change THEIR behavior, and don't need to do so.

let me tell you again: the message is there so that you know that lichess is aware of the behaviour. it lets you know that you do not have to spend any time reporting it.

so, what are you really doing here? i don't understand how you believe you can improve a system, when you obviously haven't spent any time trying to figure out what the current system actually does, or why it is implemented the current way.

The whole stalling, ragequitting and aborting system is automated. If the system recognizes a pattern or a recurring behavior of this kind it will automatically send a warning to the inbox of the player. So, eventually the player is aware in one way or another.