"gg"

gg

No, because it's an idiom.

Not that I'm taking sides.

There are people who complain that it's not said, and people who complain when it is said, and they're both idiots.

If it is an idiom as you purport then it is a pointless phrase

Look on the bright side. You may not understand "gg" yet, but at least you learned a new word.

I appreciate when someone says good game, thanks for the game, etc.  It's basic sportsmanship, which is on the decline.  I think people take their cue from professional athletes, who these days behave reprehensibly (in most, but not all, sports).  And the decline in sportsmanship coincides with the increase in public, unrestrained hostility toward our fellow humans. 

There's nothing new under the sun chicken little.

Saying 'good game' occasionally when it was actually a good game is fine.  It actually has meaning and sincerity.  Saying 'gg' every game is no different to me locking my front door every time I leave for work, just a reflex action that carries no meaning or value.  Just a box-ticking exercise, done as fast as possible without having to write out actual words.

I guess I'm just being naively, or perhaps futiley, optimistic.
I've had a few nice chats with people from the other side of the globe that I would never had an exchange with otherwise. I do still believe in the butterfly effect I guess.
And, since I play 5-minute blitz, and rarely get over 1100, I probably have not played any good games, to be honest! 

I disagree with you here.  Whether you tick a box or type it, you had to take some action to acknowledge your opponent.  That is of some value, even if it is only a reflex for you.  While it will never carry as much value as looking your opponent in the eye and saying it with a handshake after an OTB game, it's better than nothing. And maybe one of those times when you make the effort, it will sink in that you're playing a person, not a computer...

When I was growing up and playing sports, I remember coaches assembling the kids in a line to shake the hands of the opposition players.  Not everyone meant "good game" when they went through the line, of course; they were poor sports.  But the hope is that even if it is rote, it encourages respect between competitors, and helps ameliorate any hard feelings incurred in the heat of battle.

I think sportsmanship says something about the character of an individual.  Another, worse example of poor sportsmanship is those who refuse to resign a lost position and refuse to play on, but instead let their time run down or disconnect says something about character.  

I'm with you on this. I actually only say "gg" when I lose, as I worry it might be taken as sarcastic if I initiate it when I win. If someone I beat says "gg," I try to always respond. And contrary to what someone said above, I've actually played one of my opponents here in an OTB tourney.

I just don't see the harm in typing, "gg" after a match win or lose. It's either totally inconsequential, or you rarely open a dialogue with someone you never would have talked to.

If I type "gg" and they leave the room, no harm, no foul. But in the rare occasion that someone does respond, it's been an interesting opportunity to chat with someone that I would not have otherwise. If the person is from Mexico, I could ask about an opinion of "The Wall." Or is someone is from Scandinavia, I could ask about universal healthcare. These are chats that would never, ever happen otherwise. I think there is no loss in courtesy, and an opportunity for gain.

I do. Unless I find out my opponent cheats. But usually people don't here but some will. Haven't got the foggiest why but there you go.
But, yes I wright gg after a good game, win or lose. 
One get more out of this game being nice and leave the war on the chess board. 

Surely you could potentially have the same chats if you actually typed words into the chat instead of just two letters too?!  Maybe even more of them!

Gg