What is to disklike about gl at the start of the game???

Could you twist it's meaning any some how construe that your opponent is only is implying the only way you will be able to win is with luck??

Let's clear this up. 

What is the best way to greet the majority of the people on this site at the start of the game.

Hi gl to start

gg at the end

Its simple.

Once people figure this out they'll have no problems with greetings and farewells.

My thoughts exactly. People seem a little slow these days.

just be yourself. if someone get's their panties in a bunch over a couple of letters, screw 'em.

I agree bug, but some people seem to get arsey when people say gg at the start. gg at the start is fine by me (at least it shows effort!), and is much better than gg when the game is nearly but not quite over. That annoys me.

I will say gg near the end of the match if it is obviously won. 

Mate in 1 or 2 and it is forced.

Some people seem to be entirely adverse to any kind of greeting. My favorite is the people who talk shizz through out the game and loose horribly.

My computer says "welcome" when   I switch on--good way to SWITCH ON play too !

I usually wish people "good luck" or "clear thoughts."

I normally say "Hi gl" or "Hi, best of luck"

Hello, have a nice game.

good game

To me, 'good luck' is kinda odd, but not to the point of being offensive. It could be construed as implying that the person doesn't have enough technical skill to win by methods other than luck, but a person who cries about that has their own ego issues which shouldn't concern you.

On the other hand, the 'good game' cookie cutter ending does irk me quite a bit. If I saw it on both ends, a win or a loss, then I wouldn't care, but it seems that 95% of the time I see it, it is at the end of my opponents 'good game'. Honestly, I'd rather hear nothing from my opponent if they are not actually thinking about what they are saying. I've played games (not on this site thankfully) where me or my opponent may have blundered a piece or made huge structural mistakes, but up pops 'gg' at the end. I like to ask them, 'what was good about it?'.  It actually makes the game more impersonal by just going through the motions when you are communicating with someone.

I agree with this. I always used to say 'good game' at the end until it was pointed out to me by a member of this site (I can't remember who it was, and I couldn't find the thread it was in... think it's been deleted) that a 'good game' could be viewed by some as sarcastic. He recommended saying 'Well played' if I lose, and 'Thanks for the game' if I win, and I like this. I think that both are polite, and I usually have at least a brief chat with my opponents so I never feel as though I'm going through the motions with them.

Chess is a game of skill.  Luck is never present at anytime during the game.  Saying nothing at the end of the game may be the best ending for you.

it's nice to say "hi" and "goodluck" before the start of the game and "gg" or "nice game" after it ended but some players don't see nor feel the gesture behind those greetings.  it's okay with me, i can understand.  what i don't understand is  to see at the chat are rude words forcing you to resign just because they have positional advantage.  I let my opponent resign if he feels like doing it but i never pressure him. 

 Nonsense, chess is mostly luck when playing against humans. Jan Donner knew this: http://chess.eusa.ed.ac.uk/Chess/Trivia/Chessluck.html

we are all playing a game on line that has always been played with the opponent in front of you, a standard for the game is not to say anything but to just give a quick sporting handshake both at the start and at the end. that is not possible in on line chess, so gl or gg is what has become the norm to replace this, anyone got an idea how a handshake could be simulated? do you just write handshake? until then gl and gg are basic sporting manners and nothing should be read into it more than that.

In ICCF tournaments it used to be the norm to add a short message to the first postcard sent saying something like "Dear Chessfriend, I am a 78 year old professional dog botherer, married to five wives with 238 children. I hope we have a good game." I think a quick greeting at the start of any game whether wishing good luck, good game or some other form of wishing the opponent well is a good start to a game.

yeah I usually say hi and best of luck or good luck

...  chess is mostly luck when playing against humans...

If this is true for you, then it must be.  All the best in chess.