LAGFLAG

***** LAGFLAG *****

FLAGGING POLICY for the Internet Chess Club:

>>>>> IT IS LEGAL TO FLAG ANYBODY, ANYTIME <<<<<

By "legal", we mean that lag-flagging will not get you banned or put on
the disconnectors list. The policy does NOT say that you SHOULD lag-flag.  Many
people consider it bad sportsmanship to flag when your opponent has obvious
lag.  We discourage flagging when your opponent is lagging.

The following are RECOMMENDATIONS on how to be nice to your opponent if he
has lag:

1) You can abort the game if your opponent has obvious bad lag.
2) You can give your opponent more time with the "moretime" command.
3) You can offer him a draw.
4) You can adjourn, and finish later when he has less lag.

As a result of this new policy, we hope to eliminate the shouting of names
and insults at "lag-flaggers" that often happens on this server.  It will no
longer be acceptable to shout names and insults at people who have flagged
you.  And, in the spirit of a friendly ICC, we recommend that you not put a
list of "lag-flaggers" in your notes.

A new feature, the "noplay" list, allows you to keep a list of people who
cannot challenge you, and you cannot challenge. If lag-flaggers bother you,
just add them to this list. "help list" for more details.

Nobody likes to lose a game by getting lag and running out of time. BEFORE
you play, check if you are having bad lag.  If you have bad lag, then it is
YOUR responsibility to do one of the following things:

1) Don't play.
2) Don't play rated. Play unrated so you won't lose points from lag-flagging.
3) Use a long time control, so lag won't be a big factor in the game.
4) Agree with your opponent before the game that you won't "lag-flag".  Note
   that your opponent does NOT have to agree to this.  And YOU don't have to
   play him!
5) If all else fails:  If you are in a game, and get very bad lag, disconnect,
   try come back as soon as possible, and tell your opponent that you have bad
   lag.  You can ask him to continue the game later when you don't have bad
   lag, or you can ask him to "moretime" you or abort.  If no agreement can
   be reached, ask an admin to help. 

Keep in mind that lag is intermittent and unpredictable. Some long lags may
make it impossible to disconnect before your flag falls.  Also, having no lag
before a game does not mean that you will be lag-free during a game.

There are several reasons we have adopted this new policy:

1) Time is a critical part of all chess games, especially blitz.  If you
claim lag and expect your opponent not to flag you for the rest of the game,
you are taking away one of his legitimate methods of winning the game.

2) It is not possible to tell if your opponent really has lag. He may be
"faking" the lag, although this behavior is very rare.  The new policy will
eliminate all these arguments and potential fights.  Many of the ugliest
shouts on ICC have been directed at people who flag, and we want this to
stop.  Also, admins don't have the time to investigate every case of lag-
flagging, to see if it's faked or not.

The policy is not perfect, but we feel it is the best current solution to the
lag-flag problem.