Eliminate the Abort option

Why not just wait - who cares how long it takes for an opponent to move?  If they take too long, just start another game with someone else - they will eventually move or time out.

Why not just wait - who cares how long it takes for an opponent to move?  If they take too long, just start another game with someone else - they will eventually move or time out.

What about someone who starts a 10 0 game because they know they've got to run in 20 minutes.  If they wait more than a couple of minutes for their opponent to start they're now at risk of not being able to finish their game in the time they have.

Eh. I'm going to have to disagree with you. I've used the Abort function myself on occasion, for a couple of reasons.

The first of which is misclicking. In Live Chess, the challenges in the challenge section go by quite fast. This sometimes leads to my simply missing the intended target and I find myself starting not the 10:5 game against a 1300 something player, but instead a 2:1 game against a 1600 something player. I suppose I could play it out, but I consider it a bigger waste of my time to play a game I don't want to play than spend a little extra time searching for a new game. And my opponent? Well, he'd probably get a better game playing a stronger player.

The other reason is that sometimes I find I need to go do something else, but I already clicked the game. I should resign? It seems perfectly reasonable that I should have an out within the first few moves if I realize that I cannot continue the game. You may argue this is unsportsmanlike. I consider it practical.

Now. I do understand that the Abort button is abused. People use it because they don't want to play as black, or they don't want to play a particular opening that they can discern within a couple moves. That gets irritating and I certainly don't appreciate it, but I believe that it is better than the alternative of not having the option entirely. A few moments to find a new game just isn't that bad.

So, no I don't think that removing that feature is a good idea.

Just my two cents. Disagree if you like.

-Leo

El_Senior said "or add a sanity check dialog box (are you sure you want this pairing???)"; I like that.  Others said knock it down to 2 moves from 4, I didn't realize it could be done at 4 moves, that seems crazy.  2 seems crazy.  It's like "Oh he played the Grand Prix? I"m outta here", at least change the abort button at that point to the "chicken out" button.  Maybe give it a little "bak-bak-bak" sound effect.

The real solution to most of the problems I run into is people not using their filter.  If you don't want to play someone below a certain rating, filter them out.  I have had games started and aborted 3 or 4 times in a row with the same person because we are the only ones opening seeks in the time range we are looking to play.  

I believe that the text on the "Resign" button actually says "Abort" until after the fourth move.

I do agree that you should only be able to abort prior to making your first move -- once you've moved, I think that the intent to play has been made clear and all records and statistics should be udpated accordingly should you leave the game.

This is an internet chess site, not a FIDE tournament.  There are situations that have been highlighted in this thread that speak to the need for an abort option.  While I agree that it could be improved to minimize the opportunity for abuse, I don't think that it can be eliminated altogether.  Abuse of the facilities available here should be dealt with as abuse, not by removing those facilities.

Please, I do not want to have to press a sanity button every time I accept a seek. Nor do I want to wait 45 minutes at my 1-0 time control game because my opponent is afk.   I get maybe 1 abort abuse in 500 games, whereas there are significantly greater intances of regular aborts that make sense.  Just remember freedom comes with a price, you lose 8 rating points every 100 games to some jerk who got to a losing position in 3 moves.  But I argue the benefit is much greater.  Think of the 10's or even 100's of points you save by not playing the impossible computer due to misclick, not playing the game you were about to start because it is time for dinner, or you have a phone call.  Taking away a FEATURE does not make any sense.  Following this logic one might propose that  the opening database should be removed from the site because it can be accessed during a game. I say we concede the minor inconvenience of abort abuse, for the greater good that comes from having it.  It is all about trade offs and this one is a no brainer. 

Why is it taking 86 postings to still argue the issue? Chess.com knew what they were doing when creating this option, let's them continue with it. I don't really see a problem: 1-if players abort, fine, I move on to the next game

                       2-if I need to abort, I'll be very happy to have this feature available to me.

Once gain, it is my belief that, because of the innumerable good reasons to abort, chess.com is correct in maintaining the status quo.

@Danested

If you choose to play a game, just finish it. In a tournement you can't just abort, because you don't like the colour you have to play with, or worse, you don't like the face of your opponent.

So: away with abort and let's play!

Nobody has ever aborted on me other than to avoid my pet opening, thus, abusing the option. I'd like to see an option to disable it, preventing being matched with those that still want to use/abuse it. I'd also like to see an option to enable early resigners to take full ratings penalty.

Basically, a 'No Escape' check box, where if both players have it checked, neither can abort, resign early, or disconnect without full ratings penalty. There are other online chess services that have this feature, and it's really nice.