On Blocking Players

(This article has been originally published on my website in German Language)

Why Blocking is so Important in Online Chess

For me, blocking is the last bastion of self-determination. A protection against those situations where I feel powerless. It’s not always about open insults or cheating that is so obvious that it is detected and punished by moderators. Often it is much more subtle: a feeling that the opponent is not playing independently. That their moves are too smooth, too clean. That the timing in the rhythm of the moves is too even, regardless of whether the moves are easy or difficult. That the time may be manipulated (ping abuse), or that my opponent, after a brilliant game in the first 50 seconds of bullet, suddenly resorts to absurdly bad moves in pre-move mode in the last few seconds, where even players with 1800 instead of their presumed 3000 would tend to make more sensible instinct and impulse moves.

Invasion of the Bots

Then there is the idea of a massive invasion of bots – a concerted action that attacks the server’s integrity. Just like paid opinions and reviews in so-called Online Reputation Management. After what we know about the manipulations by AI bots in the 2016 presidential elections or about today’s influence in social media, as described in Putin’s Poison: Russia’s Attack on Europe’s Freedom (Herder Verlag, 2024), such scenarios are no longer fiction. Who could benefit from such actions? This question remains open – and offers room for speculation.
Such incidents raise the question of whether we are still dealing with chess here or with a distorted image of it. Maybe it’s paranoia. But there are also the endless, hackneyed systems like the London System, which do not pose a real challenge, but still often stifle the creative exchange in the game.
Maybe it’s just paranoia. Maybe it’s just a style that doesn’t suit me – these endless, hackneyed systems that offer neither creativity nor challenge.

The padded cell of Shadowbanning

An IM – title holders have to register by name at Lichess.org – once came up with something very offensive about my origin and my character, just because I hadn’t given him a rematch after his defeat. I reported this in Germany, but the case was dropped. The IM still plays there. On platforms like Lichess, there is also the act of shadow banning. This is like being in a padded cell. The person can type, but no one sees what they are writing. I find that inhumane. Then rather ban them right away.
Blocking is a better way for me. It is honest, direct and respects the autonomy of everyone involved. When I block someone, they don’t even notice, and their life goes on normally. And yet it gives me a sense of control without there being a hidden punishment.
The words the IM chose at the time burned themselves in – not only because of their cruelty, but also because of the fact that a titleholder, someone who should stand for professionalism in the chess world, chose such words. The world cannot be saved with people who display this attitude. Blocking helps me to distance myself from such people without it leading to escalation.

London? Block immediately

Toxic behavior or cheating are not the only reasons to block a player. IM Lukas Winterberg, known from his humorous tilt streams on Twitch, regularly blocked players who played with hackneyed systems like the London System. Not out of anger or revenge, but as a clear stance: For him, chess is more than just reeling off routines. This decision may seem idiosyncratic, but it testifies to a consistent attitude to view the game as a creative exchange – and to distance oneself from what no longer belongs to it for him.

Laggers are not allowed to play

Winterberg is not the only one with a consistent blocking strategy. The German streamer „Fritzi“, known for his resolute demeanor in the online chess world, rigorously blocked players with bad internet or those who gave him a particularly hard time. An unusual attitude, but another example of how players use blocking not only as protection, but also as a means of preserving their personal gaming experience.
Whether the rating points are refunded or not should be secondary. Sometimes I even reported cheaters even though the game was won – be it because the alleged cheater was flagged, or because the suspicion became overwhelming because in the last 10 or 15 seconds of bullet the decision was made to make absurdly bad moves that showed the cluelessness of the person concerned. A good player shows understanding even in the last few seconds, and fifteen seconds is an eternity for such people.

The Trap of Protecting your Rating

Some cheat for another reason: They see their rating as a figurehead of their self-worth. But that is precisely a dangerous trap – one that not only hobby players, but also young talents like Hans Niemann have fallen into, who, by his own admission, cheated as a teenager to improve his standing and his Twitch account with a polished rating. This mentality of protecting one’s rating, which focuses on securing existing numbers at all costs, prevents players from truly growing and improving. Instead of bravely competing against strong opponents, some cramp themselves on defending their numbers – a behavior that not only clouds the joy of the game, but also contradicts the spirit of chess.
A high rating should not serve self-affirmation, but the opportunity to meet strong opponents. For the best players, first-class opposition is the most interesting thing – a challenge that excites and makes you grow. The honest, hard fight against a strong opponent is the essence of the game, even if the prospect of defeat is high. After all, you learn the most from such encounters, not from easy victories.

The Digital Delete Key

When I block someone, it means: „Never again!“ A clear, calm statement. It reminds me of my children who sometimes asked me: „Never again?“ – be it after a ban or an argument in which one said to oneself in anger: „I never want to see you again!“ In the real world, we rarely mean it that way. But digitally, in these small moments of self-determination, blocking is a way of actually meaning it – consistently and without repercussions.
What a liberation! Never again. Fascinating. It’s like shooting someone into space, where words and deeds fade into nothingness, where nothing comes back and nothing disturbs you anymore. Blocking is a quiet act, almost like closing a door that leaves no gap open – no noise, no shadow penetrates anymore. It is a digital form of relief, like taking a deep breath after a strenuous conversation that seemed to have no end.
This „never again“ has something final about it, but also something reassuring. Unlike in real life, where conflicts often continue to smolder, where misunderstandings pile up, blocking is a clear and simple gesture. It ends something without drama, without further discussion. It’s like drawing a line that cannot be crossed, creating a space where peace reigns again.

Nonviolent Communication

Blocking may seem petty, but it is an act of self-determination. It offers the opportunity to set clear rules for yourself in a digital space that often feels uncontrollable. It is a tool that works quietly and efficiently without harming others. And that’s exactly what makes it so valuable – for your own experience and for the integrity of the game.
Only my instinct gives me an indicator of whether it is a cheater. Self-righteous or not, sometimes there is nothing left but to decide to take consequences – for your own protection and the joy of the game.