Speed has replaced Quality (here on lichess in particular)

I have played online for 18 years on various servers and I have noticed the following, here on lichess in particular.

Ok, we have discussed about this inflation thingy every once in a while. So some further observations, this will disenchant some internet-only fellows with a high probability.

-longer time periods are practically non-existent
-the main focus is on playing fast. Not mediocre and fast, sometimes outright really bad chess, even if there’s plenty of time left for a spark of quality
-no opening theory, coffeehouse free-style, in other words: bad
-there’s often hardly any substance which could indicate some culture, having read some classics or similar stuff
-it seems that some guys learn and play by ear, as long it is fast it is good enough
-I often face or watch chess players who seem to have a standard of play 500 points below a comparable otb rating
-it might work on the internet but prepare to fail miserably reaching an equivalent rating in RL

Apparently this doesn’t apply to experienced and strong players >2400, the real meat. Or players who had gathered a large otb experience before. They usually play decent chess, some really swift and versed, exactly how it is supposed to be. Somehow the numbers „feel“ more reliable compared to otb. They show that you can play fast as well as maintaining a high level.

Don’t get me wrong, internet chess is fun, it‘s training, it is a supplement for offline encounters, but watch out if you play otb. It‘s is a different world, all this online tricks / mouse skills won’t work. The ratings correlate weakly but there are many outliers (in one direction in particular).

Good luck and happy checkmating!

Actually, I have found that I am a better OTB player than online chess player., I seem to have a different style of play in OTB games, which could explain this. Over the board, I tend to use actual theory more (like you mentioned), and I also am much more aggressive than I am in online chess. Which is weird, because I'm a c4 player in OTB games.

@Sarg0n One must be a truly dedicated player to achieve a rating in Otb play...Not only time and travel but money to be paid for joining the needed chess associations and entry fees. I know, as I played pre-internet tournament chess back in the seventies, with long classic game times. There were speed chess tournaments with (mechanical) clocks, I recall a photo of Fischer smiling as he was playing speed chess. Sometimes I miss the way chess was before the internet. Good times! :]

When you say 2400, you mean on here or OTB?

Either way, both play well. @Kusokosla

(We don’t talk about Bullet, there’s simply no quality intrinsically.)

Note to self: get to 2400 blitz.

I would argue sometimes even only 2500+ online rating for blitz/bullet that is.

@Sarg0n This is actually an interesting point of fact. I played otb before ever playing online and it wasn't unusual to sit at a game for an hour or two. When starting online I was too intimidated to play fast time control. Now I don't seem to have nearly as much patience as I used to.

Also I just noticed that Mr. Duplessis still has a ?mark on his classical rating. I don't know why but I find that kind of amusing. @thibault if I may ask do you have a FIDE or any otb organization rating?

People play speed chess because, not everyone is a chess whiz and have jobs and lives .. speed chess takes less time than the hour long classical, and cheating is very common in longer games than in shorter ones.. I believe that's why people don't play classical that much online..

#1 I'm not entirely sure what this means, but I do observe that when playing with more time (or even an increment) players find better moves and don't try so hard to flag each other.