What is chess etiquette?

This means many different things.  What does it mean to you?

For me:

1. A handshake at the beginning and end of a game.

2. Resigning in a lost position

3. Refraining from throwing punches or pieces of small furniture

4. What else???

I judge by the end result.

At the end of the game if both players are glad to have played one another and would gladly set up the pieces again.

Why do you feel its etiquette to resign a lost position, i always found it rude that players won't finish a game, but would rather resign.

I find not resigning when the position is clearly lost to be infuriating. I hate wasting my time finishing my opponent off when they KNOW I have them beat and are just dancing around delaying the inevitable.

Resigning a lost game depends on lots of things, including what the game is worth, time trouble, etc. You can still win a game if it appears lost to the opponent, I think saying this just breeds resentment. If your opponent doesn't resign the game, you should take it in your stride and prove that you deserve to win by winning it.

Aren't handshakes at the start considered part of the rules under sporting behaviour? There was all that fuss with Nigel Short recently..also on the subject of Short, making sure that mobile phones are turned off and haven't got any alarms set is pretty good etiquette.

I'd also include: when you finish a game, let everyone else get on with their games in peace, don't hang around and talk about the game. Always be mindful of other people's concentration.

I also have a sort of ethical streak. I recently played a game where my opponent had clearly messed up his scoresheet and was getting towards time trouble. He wasn't within the limit for not writing down moves, but his moves were ordered wrong, but I didn't force him to fix it because something inside of me feels a bit off about doing that sort of thing. What do others think? Was it stupid of me? I lost the game in the end..

chess_kababs:  I agree...  Is it too much trouble for someone to just say, "Hi," or even (for those cavemen who play chess), "u2" when you type something like, "Hi and good luck!" at move 1?  Seems like it is for half the people who play correspondence chess...

Shakje:  I wouldn't have mentioned anything I observed about an opponent's time sheet during a game, since that's really not my business -- unless he asks me for help fixing it (in which case I'd help him, even if it wasn't a rule to do so, which it is) -- so I think what you did is fine.

What about not replying to a game challenge?  Not even the courtesy to decline it (and hopefully provide some modicum of a reason)?

I generally will not resign a game until all potential counterplay has been eliminated. Down a queen, knight and two pawns? If there's still a reasonable trick available to come back, I will stick around for the game. However, if I am clearly down and the opponent has restricted any potential counterplay, I'll capitulate of respect for my opponent to continue the clean sweep.

Another point of etiquette which is often ignored or simply unknown to many players in tournament games: Not repeatedly offering draws to your opponent. Even if the endgame is dead even, perhaps even theoretically drawn, it is considered bad form to continuously offer draws.
The general guideline is this--think of the draw offer as a little button sitting beside the board. If you offer a draw, pass the button over to your opponent's side. It is now up to them to make the next draw offer. You should refrain from making a second offer in-a-row unless one of two things happens:
1) Ten moves passes in the game. At this point you are welcome to offer another draw in good consciense.
2) The position becomes drastically changed from when you last offered the draw. This can happen through piece exchanges, pawn structure changes, or the sudden turning of potential winning chances (if any).

These aren't exast rules, and as long as you don't outright harass your opponent you won't be bothered by tournament directors/arbiters for offering draws. However, these are considered to be guidelines of etiquette for tournament games, and you may develop an undesired reputation amongst players if you avoid following them.

It's all about respect and courtesy. Try playing a weekend tournament sometime. Everyone else has gone to lunch, but you are still sitting there playing Bongo Bobby with a huge advantage and he's just sitting there running the remaining 30 minutes off is frickin clock! It's all about showing respect for others. When you play a golf match, do you make your opponent sink 1 footers or do you make him hole everything out? Good luck finding a table in the clubhouse because nobody will sit with you!

And herein lies the grounds for countless threads and debates here on Chess.com.

There are many (like Unholycyclone) who prefer the taste of blood.  They want to checkmate or be checkmated, and won't stop as long as there's still a move that can be made.  Those who have this kind of "Never-Say-Die-Warrior" mentality are encouraged to join the Chess Spartans where everyone plays to the death.

There are many (like Black_Magix) who prefer the game to be over as soon as it is clear who the winner will be.  Those who prefer to resign in lost positions are encouraged to join the Chess Athenians where you will never find yourself with opponents who are "just dancing around delaying the inevitable."

I play a lot of players with high ratings so I can improve my game. I don't want to waste their time so if I get myself in a position (end game only) where I have no way to win or draw, I offer a resignation. Often, I'll be told to keep playing, so I do. I greet the person I'm playing. If they say nothing, that's fine. I'm playing chess not gossiping on the phone. Sometimes I chat with people because we strike up a conversation. As for proper manners, if you don't have them go play somewhere else. If you want to be a "people who resign are wimps," well I have one thing to say: Try illegal street racing. Get a car with a fat engine like I have and try 105 mph on the streets. You'll find out who the tough guy is. However, when playing chess, try to exercise some manners for it makes you look like an adult. This wasn't directed at anyone in particular, just ill manners simpletons.

Having class is a way of life.

I can only assume that a rude player is a rude person.  A player that purposely

continues an obviously lost game just to aggravate their opponent probably

is not the most popular kid in the playground.

is resigning a tactic  or ediquite?

I say resigning is a mistake. Your opponent can make errors, there's the possibility of a stalemate, and it can give you good practice playing down material.

 Firstly remember that the basis of all courtesy is the golden rule 'do as you would be done by'.

Having said that, I see that the resignation debate still goes on, with both sides hot under the collar. I think the following, first it's considered courteous to ask a stronger player if he/she minds playing the game out to mate. Second playing lost positions may be a learning process. It gives good experience in defending and can be instructive for both players (how many people can actually mate with a bishop and knight for example or deal with a rook ending with a one pawn advantage?). However it's best to agree, or at least warn your opponent, before the game begins.

There are, however, two very serious breaches of courtesy which occur playing live chess online with discouraging regularity. First is abandoning a game but the most serious breach is simply leaving a game until the time runs out.

is being courtious a tactic or etiquette?

You never know what can happen, like your opponent making a huge mistake. Saying this, I have learned that some I play regularly prefer resignations on obvious loosing situations, so I do the same with them. Courtesy is best and you can make good playing friends here!

I think the point was resigning a lost position.  The question is are you good enough to see a lost position and is your opponent.  If you are playing a 2000+ rated player and you drop your queen with no compensation...then resign the game and play another.  If you are playing a 900 rated player and drop your queen, play on you might be able to pull out of it. 

 the same thing happend to me,he even boasted about doing it, this was about 2am. although he gave up 3 moves later.  on resigning i explain why. once my oppnent admitted he didn,t see it, but i think he would have done eventually.

It seems like chess etiquette can be very different things to different people. This can make it hard when just trying to have a friendly game. I think the only thing you can do about this is just keep it in mind and try not to push other peoples buttons, so to speak. Seems like another game going on behind the game