Is it worth trying to discuss Chess on here anymore?

True, but its all about the attention.  Why do you think all of the non chess stuff isnt just posted in Open Discussion?

I do in fact LOVE the french opening.  you might think it odd to love an opening that played as black; I love for its sudden ability to go from the equal game to disaster.  but I have seen this repeatably.

I think this sudden propensity to turn to disaster makes the french and interesting choice for black.  Chess is often won or lost on the pychological assessments- you feel that the game is better for you, and then become overconfident and sloppy and give a substancial opportunity to me; and vice versa.

that is why the french delights me so.  so much of the time white has significantly easier time to put black in a strained position--   but this Appearance; is fleeting.  the French is anything if not solid.  you could even call it the french draw.  "solid" because the center is blocked; and because the king side that every white player longs to make can be easily countered by an attack ON the center.

With more timid players; sometimes queen side assaults can be devastating espacially if white leaves a few pawns thematically hung.

I also find that a fairly large amount of white players in fact hate the french and this pychology works for me as well.

nobody does as well in an opening they "hate"

it seems very unwise to go on with this thought.  whats the point?

even if they were chatbots, what would it matter? everyone must be evaluated by what they write.  On that score; I wish only to point out that the one account has had a mute and emerged with some differences.  Those differences were recognized and highlighted by Ronald and ought to be more widely considered.

If someone has yet has a grievance and a legitamite accusation of trolling; I am very willing to read a fully thought laid out discussion of it and this kind of discussion is a very acceptable topic in a place where respectful discussion in ensured.

but for now; the big point is that there is no acceptable end to this.  without specific accusations of current abuse admin will automatically assume that people are witch-hunting and dredging up a past that they will Say has been addressed.

... and this is all WHY chester's take on this is SO good. it is Always better to model good behavior than to attack bad behavior.   and its a little murky to konow the truth.

@Bonsai. if they guys are what you say;  why would they tell the truth AND how could possibly unveil them.  cc is not going to do random IP checks on accounts they say have NOT been abusive.  I know your sweetheart deal was to place your own account on the line.  but still, again with YOUR assumptions- they are only having great enjoyment in knowing they have bugged you so much.

for myself, I have NO assumptions.  Its so HARD to know anything about who is online that it is very deceptive to one knows the game.   better to assume there IS not game and to get along as best as possible with each person

we Not really here to judge people anyways.  mostly we're here to relieve boredom, share some jokes, perhaps learn a little chess, enjoy other cultures,etc.

None of this is about obsessing on each possible troll and wasting lots of time to unmask them.

I stopped coming here in 2014 because there were too many trolls and also because it's a sedentary hobby (and I do too many of those as it is). I tried playing with the chat off during games but then I got so bored without the social part of it. I did meet many nice people too. I won't go painting everyone with the same brush.

I received a free trial "diamond" membership in the mail earlier in the week. I'm not sure I want to take it up as a hobby again but I'm thinking about it.  I've been doing a few tactics training. Chess is a great game.

I used to play the French, and often i would hear my opponent sigh and say..."Not another French, its so boring"

This is why online chess doesnot hold a candle to OTB chess.  Part of the fun of the game is the actual sitting across from a real person.  Just my opinion, but online chess actually bores me.  Its what i do to pass the time, while OTB chess is what i do for enjoyment.  

You see it...I see it...some dont.  And as long as chess.com allows it, we have a choice.  Let it bother you, or move on.  Even slowing down to stare at a car wreck gets old after awhile.  

I tend to see this quite differently.  Personally, I feel no one should "own" a thread and once posted it should be communal property, not personal property.  Following that same reasoning,, blocking someone from posting in a thread shouldn't even be possible, let alone desirable.
I don't see blocking necessarily as cowardly, though it can be, but as potentially anti-intellectual as it allows someone to squelch dissenting opinions or even perspectives.   Getting rid or perceived trolls should fall on the moderators who are advancing the vision of the site, not on individual members who are advancing there own desires or agendas.

It requires some reading...

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-online-secrets/201409/internet-trolls-are-narcissists-psychopaths-and-sadists

Good points BG, but you have been here long enough to know that some will post just to ruin a thread, and or post nothing of substance.  Blocking for those reasons is valid.  

I have thought and read up on this extensively.

again, i would be perfectly willing to have an in-depth discussion on this but probably Not here.

my feeling of this kind of discussion is that this type of discussion tends to encourage trolling.  

In fact, trolling is almost always best ignored.  best to decide to reduce the perceived reaction.  

if you want to have discussions that are unwise or forbidden here I encourage you to pm me. 

no crime in not understanding , is there? lol

on the other hand; lets just chillax. I am trying to do a few other things too.  you guys are breaking the "thread" speed limit.

the amount of posts per hour even a good thread should warrant.

and that is assuming that the thread was 'good' in the first place and I'm not assuming that.  normally hypocritical rants aren't.

We all have our "issues" some more than others obviously.  Im as guilty as the next person of feeding the trolls.  But i also made the conscious decision to stop.  Its a waste of time, unproductive, and accomplishes nothing but a negative feeling of self-satisfaction.  

Your best bets are posting in Game analysis, and endgame study.  

 becuase "detecting" trolls should not be an obsessive, expansive thing to do

instead focus can be on

• enjoying intellectual conversation with people that seem reasonable
• cultural understanding and an appreciation on how different people (worldwide) view similiar things
• mild joking
• occasonal discussions of chess topics (LOL); with an emphasis not on the 'right' way to do things(best left for authors) but a comparison to other people's experiences
• lastly, and hardest of all friendships.  not that it is Easy to be friends in a place where people are utterly anonymous.  but repeated experiences between people can lead to trust and mutual respect

every person's reason to be on the forum is no doubt personal.  but I don't regret (most of the time) this experience-- and this time I am using is by nature somewhat unproductive anyways.

Thats why im here while at work :-)

I feel (personally) there should be an official stance on, and against, trollish behavior.   Derailing threads is already against the ToS and should be enforced more rigorously.  Most threads can absorb some insubstantial postings without much ill-effect, but persistent and overwhelming trolling should be dealt with firmly for the benefit of everyone.  This isn't an individual issue, but a communal one and, as I see it, should necessitate some global consideration.

This has been brought up repeatedly, and its obvious that chess.com does not want to curb trolling.  Why?  Who knows.  Its Eriks site, and his to do as he sees best with.  I sent an email over a week ago expressing my views on some things here.  I explained that i did not want a form letter reply, and if i could not get actual answers i would prefer no answer at all.  And that is what i have gotten :-)

I prefer not to use labels, but i need to to explain "why" i think chess.com doesnt wnat to deal with some things.  Erik, and the staff are young, and obviously lean to the left (liberal)  So we get the "Everyone should be allowed to do what they want" mentality.  The problem with that is, it doesnt work.  Rules, laws, etc. are put in place for a reason.  Now as californians we have to have "safe places"  given crayons and color books, and its just a matter of time before Ca. becomes a "safe haven" state.

No accountablity, play the victim, and nothing is anyones fault.

unfortunately "globally"

there really is a very little that can be done of trolling.

if Trolls live on the feeding of attention to provocative & upsetting posts.  they absolutely feast to glutton HERE as there is so much reaction to them.

so communally I think we have to have it two ways;  a protest when conditions are right; and a refusal to feed when they are Not.

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I would Strongly second the official stance on trolling or Trollish behavior.