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The bad sportsmanship

Sometimes I release acccidentally the mouse before of time and I ask the take back or offer the draw to the opponent, if he didn't accept, is this considered a bad sportsmanship in the chess world?

Sometimes I release acccidentally the mouse before of time and I ask the take back or offer the draw to the opponent, if he didn't accept, is this considered a bad sportsmanship in the chess world?

I think that most people would say that a mouse slip is your mistake and its not unsporting to refuse the takeback. Personally I would allow a takeback for an obvious mouse error - like kf1 when they meant to castle.

What goes around, comes around. Treat others the way that you would wish them to treat you.

I think that most people would say that a mouse slip is your mistake and its not unsporting to refuse the takeback. Personally I would allow a takeback for an obvious mouse error - like kf1 when they meant to castle. What goes around, comes around. Treat others the way that you would wish them to treat you.

In formal games on a physical board, take back is not allowed if the move in question was a legal move.
Take back must be done to reinstall the position if an illegal move has been completed.

One of the possibly nicest things in online chess or in computer chess in general (besides the automated notation) is that typically the board prevents illegal moves, so there is no need at all to take back any moves in order to play proper chess that sticks to the rulebook.

So:

  • No way to take back a legal move in a formal game of chess on a physical board.
  • After an illegal move, the game shall continue from the position before the legal move
    (I am ignoring here that one or more illegal moves are penalized in formal chess).
  • No way to make an illegal move in online chess or in computer chess in general.
  • No need to take back a move at all that has been done on a properly programmed computer program that simply prevents illegal moves.

Simply sticking to the rulebook may be very bad sportsmanship (worst example may be letting the clock win over an opponent with an obvious acute health problem), but

  • any draw that happened by agreement would not have needed to happen.
  • any takeback of a legal move that happened by agreement would not have needed to happen.

Offering a takeback or offering a draw is just that that, an offer, with the opponent having every right either to accept or to refuse.

As a chess problemist, I am a big fan of the credo to play the board, not to play the opponent.
So "takeback" or "no takeback" or "draw by agreement" or "no draw by agreement" is all perfectly fine,
but strictly playing the board instead of the opponent might mean to never offer takeback, to never agree to takeback and to never draw by agreement.

In formal games on a physical board, take back is not allowed if the move in question was a legal move. Take back must be done to reinstall the position if an illegal move has been completed. One of the possibly nicest things in online chess or in computer chess in general (besides the automated notation) is that typically the board prevents illegal moves, so there is no need at all to take back any moves in order to play proper chess that sticks to the rulebook. So: * No way to take back a legal move in a formal game of chess on a physical board. * After an illegal move, the game shall continue from the position before the legal move (I am ignoring here that one or more illegal moves are penalized in formal chess). * No way to make an illegal move in online chess or in computer chess in general. * No need to take back a move at all that has been done on a properly programmed computer program that simply prevents illegal moves. Simply sticking to the rulebook may be very bad sportsmanship (worst example may be letting the clock win over an opponent with an obvious acute health problem), but * any draw that happened by agreement would not have needed to happen. * any takeback of a legal move that happened by agreement would not have needed to happen. Offering a takeback or offering a draw is just that that, an offer, with the opponent having every right either to accept or to refuse. As a chess problemist, I am a big fan of the credo to play the board, not to play the opponent. So "takeback" or "no takeback" or "draw by agreement" or "no draw by agreement" is all perfectly fine, but strictly playing the board instead of the opponent might mean to never offer takeback, to never agree to takeback and to never draw by agreement.

No it is not bad sportsmanship. Mouse/movement skill is a part of online play, and errors can happen. You can enable move confirmation to prevent mouse slips, so you have the ability to prevent them on your end. Your opponent has no obligation to entertain takeback requests, even in obvious situations.

Personally, I have takebacks disabled, so I don't have to even consider the offer, I have got spammed with requests to the point where I don't want to see them at all, even if it means I am no longer able to ask for them myself.

No it is not bad sportsmanship. Mouse/movement skill is a part of online play, and errors can happen. You can enable move confirmation to prevent mouse slips, so you have the ability to prevent them on your end. Your opponent has no obligation to entertain takeback requests, even in obvious situations. Personally, I have takebacks disabled, so I don't have to even consider the offer, I have got spammed with requests to the point where I don't want to see them at all, even if it means I am no longer able to ask for them myself.

A) Mouse-skills are a part of online Chess; just like how the touch-move rule is a part of offline Chess. A player taking back a move ruins the integrity of competition.

B) Turning off take-backs and chat, as well as not proposing take-backs, is like cleansing poison from one's body: It is a release of frustration and distraction.

C) If you offer a draw in a position that is better for your opponent, that is poor sportsmanships. They worked to achieve a better position. Thus, asking them to surrender it is rude.

A) Mouse-skills are a part of online Chess; just like how the touch-move rule is a part of offline Chess. A player taking back a move ruins the integrity of competition. B) Turning off take-backs and chat, as well as not proposing take-backs, is like cleansing poison from one's body: It is a release of frustration and distraction. C) If you offer a draw in a position that is better for your opponent, that is poor sportsmanships. They worked to achieve a better position. Thus, asking them to surrender it is rude.

Sadly we are not all equal at "mouse skills" for various reasons.

However enabling move confirm makes sense,but it doesnt help your time sadly.

Sadly we are not all equal at "mouse skills" for various reasons. However enabling move confirm makes sense,but it doesnt help your time sadly.

I am not talking about positions, for example you were playing a blitz and you wanted to capture a bishop with your queen, but you released your mouse before of time and the queen drops on a diagonal square that is between the queen en the bishop, obviosly the next move is to capture the queen, but this is obviously a mouse slip, because you will not sacrifice your queen with no sense

I am not talking about positions, for example you were playing a blitz and you wanted to capture a bishop with your queen, but you released your mouse before of time and the queen drops on a diagonal square that is between the queen en the bishop, obviosly the next move is to capture the queen, but this is obviously a mouse slip, because you will not sacrifice your queen with no sense

@gmoralesg17 said in #7:

I am not talking about positions, for example you were playing a blitz and you wanted to capture a bishop with your queen, but you released your mouse before of time and the queen drops on a diagonal square that is between the queen en the bishop, obviosly the next move is to capture the queen, but this is obviously a mouse slip, because you will not sacrifice your queen with no sense

It doesn't matter, that is not your opponents fault. They have zero obligation to give a takeback. They can decide to, but they are not at fault if they decline to. As I said previous, you can enable move confirmation to prevent that from happening.

Too many players have been bombarded with takeback requests, given them, then later make a slip, ask for a takeback and are promptly declined by the very same opponent.

@gmoralesg17 said in #7: > I am not talking about positions, for example you were playing a blitz and you wanted to capture a bishop with your queen, but you released your mouse before of time and the queen drops on a diagonal square that is between the queen en the bishop, obviosly the next move is to capture the queen, but this is obviously a mouse slip, because you will not sacrifice your queen with no sense It doesn't matter, that is not your opponents fault. They have zero obligation to give a takeback. They can decide to, but they are not at fault if they decline to. As I said previous, you can enable move confirmation to prevent that from happening. Too many players have been bombarded with takeback requests, given them, then later make a slip, ask for a takeback and are promptly declined by the very same opponent.

Personally I allow takebacks in casual games, but I don't play too many of those anyway. I have takebacks disabled in rated games, precisely due the same issues as others in this thread.

Personally I allow takebacks in casual games, but I don't play too many of those anyway. I have takebacks disabled in rated games, precisely due the same issues as others in this thread.

Just on "mouse skills" being an integral part of the online game - that's horse manure.
Having used a mouse since circa 1990, I can confirm mouse slips still happen.
We've all been walking since early age, and we all still stumble/trip (even elite athletes).

"Sportsmanship" is a subjective concept.
That is, it means different things to different folks.
For instance, it can rely on how seriously you take the game.
Or how you view winning or losing (aka Victory or Defeat).

If your life and self-identity don't revolve around chess, probably best to accept that your adversary may be playing with a different intent to yours and move on.

Just on "mouse skills" being an integral part of the online game - that's horse manure. Having used a mouse since circa 1990, I can confirm mouse slips still happen. We've all been walking since early age, and we all still stumble/trip (even elite athletes). "Sportsmanship" is a subjective concept. That is, it means different things to different folks. For instance, it can rely on how seriously you take the game. Or how you view winning or losing (aka Victory or Defeat). If your life and self-identity don't revolve around chess, probably best to accept that your adversary may be playing with a different intent to yours and move on.

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