"Sand baggers" ?

Ever agree to a rematch with someone you just beat and then suddenly they play like a GM and beat you quickly? I've had that happen a couple times.  Maybe I just relaxed too much because I just beat them? It's an odd thing though.  Has this happened to anyone else?

That has never happened to me. Try to identify a group of mature adults and play mostly against them. Believe it or not, there are mature people here who actually love chess. I never play random games against strangers.

I was thinking the same thing.

How do you pick a select group to play against here online?

@JBarryChess - one way is to read their profile. My profile makes it very clear what kind of person I do not want to play against. Also, look at what people say on the forum. Do they discuss chess? Or do they make disparaging remarks about women and racial minorities? Do they show a love of the game in their forum comments, or to they try to show how superior they are vs lesser players? Sometimes I challenge people based on their flag, because I want to play against people from as many countries as possible. If I had a good experience playing against someone, I challenge them again and again, even if I lose most of the time.

Every time. We trade the limited prep we know. Usually I win the creative, wild game and my opponent plays a closed, dry system with nothing but trade offers down to a bad king move costing me the game.

yes!

I've never had someone beat me and then ask for a rematch. Food for thought.

I skunk people that beat me the first time all the time. Alternatively I also sometimes get skunked by people I agree to rematch after they've lost to my tactics the first time. Another perspective is that I rarely agree to rematches with players rated lower than me. Unless I lose by time and it's an ego thing. I always accept rematches from higher rated players.

I also play bullet almost exclusively, or blitz. So. I dunno.

Sometimes.people play better second game after they learn the playing style of the opponent(play ten times better than before) other cheat but that's more common in rapid than blitz also win rate is usually around 50/50 so winning one loosing one is relatively normal

I usually don't accept rematchs except of daily games

Exactly

Never accept rematches, especcialy if the opponent's timezone is too far away from yours.

I had it happen again today. I figured I must be nuts and it's just a coincidence, but yep, I beat someone, agreed to a rematch and they beat me. Really odd.