Do you think that chess players generally are rude?

Well, when I go through the chess.com forums I feel many here are rude, snobbish and offensive.

What do you think?

Many are, I'm sure, but it may be more to do with forums than with chess, per se.

I guess you are right. Anyway, when I will most probably participate in the FIDE tournament (my first) this month, I will come to know more about the character traits of chess players.

I have been playing chess since the mid-1970s. There is no general "type" of chess player. The percentage of rude chessplayers is probably about the same as in the general population. Also, rude and snobby attitudes often are a cover for insecurity. Some players put too much ego on the line and when they start losing, they take it badly and act like big babies. If you are more mature than some acting-out clown, you just shake your head and walk away knowing that you are much better off for not being that sad excuse of a human being.

   You can be a King and still be humble, many do not understand this. You sound like an honorable person, there are many on chess.com that are like you!

It depends on the chess player.

I think it's probably worse here on chess.com because of the anonymity. 

 If somebody is going to act like a crud because of the anonymity, they're probably no prize in person either. 

I don't know about in general, but I do know that there are a few who are very rude.

welcome to the intrawebz, hoss.

Besides, the forums can be fun if you don't take the claptrap too seriously. Add some of your own from time to time.

Yes, little bit!

And just to answer the question the title says, I think athletes are way more rude than chess players.

+1

Cross country and "distance" track athletes have been very polite in my experience-- of course you might be thinking of athletes in some other sports...

+1

Thanks. But, at least in Yahoo Answers, I feel the percentage of well mannered people are higher.

To say that chess players are rude (under the hypothetical that the proposition is assumed true) is to miss the bigger picture. The key question is whether chess players are ruder than the general population to which I would reply no. Also, it depends on what you mean by chess player, because a beginner who's just learnt the rules doesn't count in my book for example.

As somebody else said, the Internet also provokes stronger language. Also, as another point, if you were to assume chess players are rude you might do well to look at the wider society and decide if they are rude. I for one detest swearing and never use it, but it's widespread and what many might consider 'rude' .

Put things into context first is my suggestion.

True. Forums can be fun and informative. And yes, I don't take the claptrap too seriously. But, I am a little bit concerned about the attitudes of some chess players. Even WGM Natalia Pogonina pointed out the venomous nature of some top players in a recent article here in Chess.com

You are right. One should always have a very positive outlook towards life regardless of the negative behaviours of some people sometimes. It is all part of life.