It depends.
If you know the person well, and it is just good natured smack, then fine.
But if you are playing a stranger, this is supposed to be a gentleman's game. Act like one.
It depends.
If you know the person well, and it is just good natured smack, then fine.
But if you are playing a stranger, this is supposed to be a gentleman's game. Act like one.
Trash-talking should be allowed but not ad hominem-style.
If 2 opponents are equally rated and have a more-or-less equal score against each other, then trash-talking should be present and encouraged, unless they are kids...they are emotional patzers which is not in line with their concrete operations development (hence they can be GM's).
A patzer should be able to trash-talk a higher-rated opponent.
A much higher-rated player can trash talk a much lower-rated player but only using veiled compliments. For instance, if a GM is playing an 1800-level player, s/he can trash-talk with "you might be able to beat an IM with that move, rook-ie" or "you think a 2500-level move is good enough to beat me?!", but not "you suck balls and will never be an 1800-level player, and I train 3-year-olds so I know"...I would allow them to say mean things like that to me (the pain of reality outweighs the fiction of fantasy in my head) but that may require a consent form to comply with tournament trash-talking rules.
Knives and weak personalities probably shouldn't be allowed in tournaments. Undercover officers being fed Rybka moves should be present as lower-rated players to see how frustrated a player can get with losing and with trash-talking.
Anatoly who for FIDE president?
Life is too short and this is supposed to be fun. I give everyone the benefit of the doubt. But if I determine that their motives are not friendly I either tell them what I think of their social graces (or not), hit the resign button, then clear my mind of the memory. I have too many good friends and worthy, gracious opponents to put up with crap from anyone.