Hi,

I feel sort of bad when I play someone rated much lower than me, especially the elderly generation..
I'm new to club play and OTB in general so perhaps thats why, but do you guys ever take it easy on someone? Like overlook the hanging rook on a8 etc?

At our club we have a saying "A man never stands so tall as when he stoops to make a small child cry."

There's no mercy in OTB chess.  

Taking it easy on lower rated players

Is a great way to unnecessarily lose many games is the end of that sentence.

If you want to be kind, more power to you (if you want to play then VERY MUCH POWER TO YOU!!!).  But NO, I whip their butt as bad as I possibly can, and love every last second of it.

I may not be a high-rated player myself, but over a lax game with another player on the school chess team, I will point out mistakes they make and take advantage of it since I think the best way to learn is to mess up a few times and find out how to iron out the errors.

Perhaps I just need to play more OTB...

Agreed 100%.  OTB play is the best thing for a chess player, period.

Always play against the pieces, never the ratings.

If you "take it easy" you are just undertestermating your opponent and maybe lose. I know what I'm talking about.

In casual games I don't mind. But in tournament games I wouldn't do it.

As if one's feelings being hurt or not depend on how well they do in a chess game!

Some people get angry when you give takebacks. I usually just want to play the game and see what happens lol.

I would be pretty mad if I got to play a grandmaster and he 'went easy' on me.

Play your best. The best way to be nice is probably to help point out their mistakes whilst avoiding the appearance of false kindness (though some people, especially younger people, are unreceptive to that help).

The most respectful thing to them and to the game is to play your best.

aha! lol, I see them as opportunitys to win. Aginst elders or players rated at least 100 points lower than me, I play the sharpest possible moves, and complicate as much as humanly possible.

I suck, but would rather lose than be patronized.

don't go easy, I would rather be slaughtered by a 2800 than close to tie one that was going easy, and going easy doesn't teach them anything.

If someone is a few hundred points below my ratings, lets say they're 1600. I still consider them a dangerous opponent. If they're an 800 and are on the same points as me in a tournament it is quite likely the ratings isn't accurate and I should be careful. I don't take non-OTB chess seriously, so this isn't a problem for me

I am mediocre player who is looking to improve.  I would be somewhat frustrated if I played a strong player and they went "easy" on me.  That doesn't help me improve and it wastes their time. 

It doesn't matter how good you are or who you are playing.  Playing your best makes everyone better.

It depends on you if you try and find good moves they will be forced to play at their best.