declining challenges

I have noticed that when I decline a challenge I am always asked why. When someone declines my challenge I assume they are also asked why yet I never see the reason given, if any. So who sees the reason if not the person being declined? Why do they want to know? Is this info used in some way by chess.com? I think I shouldnt have to give a reason but if I do I certainly think the one I declined should see it and I also should see why my challenges are declined.

The declined challenger does see the reason why, although many send the form back blank.

Strange, Ray......I dont recall ever seeing a reason when my challenge is declined. I sometimes ask in a message and get a response. Also, sometimes my challenger will ask why I am declining and I will usually tell them.

What's happening Reb, is that they don't want to play you, and also don't want to give a reason... so they send the form back blank. When you chase them up about this with a message, they feel compelled to give a reason. I have declined a few challenges, giving reasons.... this lead to a follow up message from the declined challenger seeking further clarification. From this I am pretty sure that the declinee (is that a real word? ) gets to see the reason why. I'm not sure, though, that one should have to give a reason.

I dont believe a reason should have to be given. There is no obligation to accept anyone's challenge. Sometimes I dont even have a reason, just am not inclined at the moment to start a new game.

I have had three declined, including one by yourself.  One gave the reason "too busy" one gave no reason but was ok with accepting challenges from players a lot below their and my rating later the same day, your own response Reb was asdfqwer or something like that, makes sense to me now :-)  Personally i agree it shouldn't be required to give a reason but it's also good to have the facility to make one if you like.  So in future it seems you can just leave it blank.

you don't have to give a reason. but you might also WANT to include one to not be rude (if the situation dictates it).

I don't always offer a reason, but I did in two of the three rejected challenges I've had. One player had a 68% timeouts ratio, and that didn't seem encouraging. The other wa that I was offered a game with 1 day-per-move when with my schedule I prefer to play with 3 days-per-move. I indicated that he could challenge me again with the revised time control.

 

Reb: Given that, sometimes the function asking for a reason to decline has uses. 

RobertABrown wrote:

I don't know if this will help ya, Reb, but I set a limit of 10 games and get see no challenges until I've completed some of my ten games. When that happens I accept them all. Before I began doing this, I was swamped with challenges. At first I answered each and every one, thanking each challenger for the challenge and declining all but a few with " thanks but I have too many games right now.." or something to that effect. When this became too time consuming, I began clicking the "decline button" and offering no explanation. One low rated player responded with a note calling me a ratings prostitute (whatever that is) in Italian. Take Care,

Rob 

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I am still laughing at that one Robert! Maybe I will do the same after I finish my current games and only take on a set # of games. I cant decide if I want to play only strong players , only weak players or maybe a mixture of both.

You better accept MY challenge, pop! It's unrated and set to 14 days.... I consider myself a modest.... weak, yet STRONG player. [=

Anyone who l decline should look at how many games l have on the go.....22 the other day ....way too much for a beginner.

I can tell you easily why. When you are a top-notch player everyone wants a peace of you. Many of these players are themselves not that great, and you'll often see a 1300 player challenging a 2200 player, and the latter will just think it's a waste of time. It will not be a game, it will be a massacre. So the first player will have no chance, and the second would be bored. In short higher level players are flooded by requests from lower level players. While some are nice and accept, most are realistic about the other person's odds and of their own time. Look at the open games, you'll always see a huge list of players willing to challenge players rated more, but few who would challenge players rated at or below them. When you're someone like Yelena Dembo, you have frankly better things to do then face 1300 players when you're among the world's finest.

I would really like to challenge each and everyone of you guys. I know on most I will probably lose and that is alright by me, but in turn I am trying to learn more about the openings. I have played for over 20 years but never knew there were names for all these openings. To you all it is probably a waste of your time to play someone with a 1400 level, and if you declined no big deal. I know it probably bothers you that we would ask, but who better to learn from than the better players without talking your all's ears off. I mean no disrespect to any of you and would not ask why you refused, but would still say thanks anyway.

If the declinee includes a reason for declining the challenge, where does the challenger see that message?

tmcmcn wrote: If the declinee includes a reason for declining the challenge, where does the challenger see that message?

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The challenger will get a message in their message box. I have gotten one for any challenges of mine that have been declined. Oh, and I also used to get emails to my personal address... until I changed that setting.

 

I've recently had to decline a lot of games, because I have a limit to the amount I'm willing to play, and I always replied with a message explaining why. But I find that things have gotten easier now that I've changed my settings to 'Max 15 games' and 'Friends can always challenge'.