Don't waste your time to greet your opponent...as most of the clowns can't be bothered to respond to you unless they have some humanity

But it only takes 2 seconds to type "hi"? It's no bother at all

Interesting isn't it - I find people who don't say boo at the start or during the game then say "gg" or "well played" at the end and send a friend invite. Perhaps they are just not looking at the chat screen but I always try to make sure I say hello with my first move.

I'm used to playing Starcraft and Starcraft 2 and always start online games with "gl hf" and end with "gg", unless the person shows to deserve otherwise.

---

people must have really weak nerves to be unnerved by "hi"

---

Please - there are children present!

if i'm greeted i always respond cheerily.  :)

Mean people suck.

Some people rarely if ever look at chat, others may not be fluent in english. Once in awhile you'll be surprised to get a reply several moves later as I have on occasion.

Chess is war, you wouldn't say "Hi!" to someone you're about to kill, that's just crazy.  It'd be more honest to openly insult your opponent at the start of the game and end this charade.  I hate my opponent, he hates me too and we both know it.  This pretence of civility is a farce.

Hey that's true. Instead wishing our opponents luck and a good game we should say "I hope you fall for scholar's mate, get the bubonic plague, go bankrupt and are forced to watch Two and Half Men reruns in he'll for eternity". Thanks for showing me the error of H-word ways DT.

I'm a socialble kind of person, say hi and smile to strangers on the street,, when the game starts, I'm not a good enough of a player to be making chit chat, I try to focus as soon as the game begins. And yes, I'm the type if you get me to ingage in small talk will lose the game quicker then without the talk,, have a good day

As Chess is supposed to be a gentlemen's game, I do not see anything wrong in saying,"Hi or Hello" to your opponent at the start. And when the game ends, irrespective of the result, be a good sportsman,  just type in "gg, or good play". All it takes is a few seconds of good will.

Chess is a battle of different mind sets as each player pits his wits, intelligence, knowledge, and skills  against his opponent's. Whether the game would turn out to be rich in chess finess and artistry would ultimately depend on the players forte.

hmmm, game of intelligence.  if i were to type high, helo, good luk, or something you think my opponent would understatement me? 

@nimzo - when playing on the mobile apps it is especially hard to notice that someone has sent something.  i chat quite a bit while playing and sometimes fall victim to this. 

---

potatoe, did you wake up on the wrong side of the...couch this morning?

I dont think of chess as a war, more a battle of skill and passion. Usually I will say hi and even exchange a little chat. Tuanting is juvenile and I never intend to do that. I do enjoy a friendly game of chess, though. What is more friendly than exchanging a few amicable words with your opponent? If winning is a part of the game than so is losing. Can you truly feel dislike someone if they outplayed you? I dont understand the point of that. I certainly see no reason to feel disdain for someone I was lucky enough to outplay. So why not be amicable from the start?

Of course sometimes I am in no mood for chat and usually that suits my opponent just fine. Also if I say "hey" and my opponent does not reply I do not take it personal. We come here to play chess first and foremost afterall.

Yeh it's something i find quite fascinating about the competitve spyche, that a player doesn't have the courage to offer an hallow begining a game but is then able to give insults after the game.

And as for those people going on about war and enemys and slaughter and blood ,  what ever goes on in your head during a chess game is up to you, but chess is a board game , nothing more nothing less. Get a grip on reality.

I allways say "hi thanks for play" bagining a game and if win, lose or draw ,say gg, because anyway even a bad game of chess is better than a good day at work. And if i've won and playing a rematch i say good luck to my oponent.

Sometimes people respond with a hi or hallow back and sometimes they don't. I respect that some people are quiet and focused and that some people dont speak my language, and that some people don't know how to use the chat function so i try not to let it bother me when they don't respond.

How ever i find it a measure of character if the person says hi, as to whether the person is humble and sociable or egotisticle and arrogant.

If i'm not mistaken it is a formal tournament rule to shake hands and acknowledge your apponent before playing a game over the board. Why should it be so different when playing on line ?  

If i was to play some one over the board and they didn't say hi or make some sort of acknowledgement to me, i would tell them i don't play with rude people and simply leave.

So to those who are way too good at chess or just way too eager for the kill, to be able to say hi before a game, may i hope that next time your brushing up your skills for Sicilian response that you might learn some manners at the same time.

I don't normally use the chat and people have often said Hi and I haven't seen them straight away, as I have been concentrating on a move. But I have always replied when I have seen it. But if I really wanted to chat to somebody I'd join a chat room or come on the forum;  when I am playing chess, I am playing chess. Forget skill, Chess is a game of concentration - something of which I don't have much of at times it seems -  so having people jabbering away in a box next to the board is not what I am really looking for. However, I am aware that we are all different, so what works for me might not work for others... and vice versa.

 

I usually say GG or send a trophy when the match is over though.

---

Exactly! Why should online be so different from OTB?