I was playing a game and it was close to being a draw. However the other player left the game and the server offered me the option to claim victory. But when I did, the server said "draw" and penalized me 4 points (?!!)
I don't undertand, since the other player left the game they auromatically forfeited.
Why do people post this kind of stuff without linking to the game? How on earth do you expect people to help you if they can't see?
It was a draw because you had only your king, and thus there was no possible checkmate sequence for you on the board. You might be able to do some pointless nitpicking over the phrase "claim victory," but who cares. There is no way to ever win with only your king, unless perhaps your opponent resigns, but why would that ever happen? Maybe it's even a draw in that case, I don't know. It should be.
For the nobody other than me who is interested, I tested it and it is a win if you have only your king and your opponent resigns:
So hypothetically, if I were facing an opponent who had only their king left, and something came up that I had to leave the game and not return, this policy means it is to my advantage to purposely let my time run out.
@Chuck_Fess In such situations one could also just offer a draw.
Winning by time is interesting. I suggest this rule: when time = 0 the position is irrelevant.
1st case: If a player sees a mate in 3, but his time runs out before he can make the 3 moves, he loses. (because of the rule)
2nd case: In Jill's situation, the other player's time is deemed to = 0, so her opponent should lose (because of the rule).
In the first case, you have a certain win, in the other a certain draw. Time = 0 should trigger a loss regardless.
3rd case: Chuck's hypothetical. Let's say Chuck has a lone king (a certain loss). I have enough material to mate, but I am bumbling around with my queen and rook, and my time runs out. Although it is impossible for Chuck to win, time = 0 should decide it in his favor.
4th case: both players have a knight but don't realize that it's a certain draw and play on. The first player to reach time = 0 should lose. If one player knows it's a draw and offers, but is refused, then this could punish the more knowledgeable player. An exception to the rule in this case? I don't think so, because the repeating moves rule is still an avenue to force a draw.
Oh, I guess the "Claim Victory" button should be hidden when clicking it would result in a draw (as would "winning" on time - it's still a draw and you're still penalized for playing badly).
I'll file a UI issue:
github.com/ornicar/lila/issues/4923#issuecomment-544245595One point I'd offer in response to several of the points made is that it seems to me that awarding points in the case of a draw seems unfair to begin with. Unless one of the players has a clear advantage and isn't able to checkmate. A draw by definition is a situation where no one wins.
In the case of a player leaving the game, I feel they should automatically be penalized if they don't resign because it's a waste of the other player's time. Even in cases where it would have been a draw anyway, then the server should have declared it a draw
@JillLloyd23 read a bit about the elo system, then you will understand why your opponent got points for the draw.
