Do not create multiple accounts

For me personally, I have only have 1 account on lichess. However, I understand the times for exceptions.

Possible exception A, burner account to try new ideas:
One IM mentioned to me a person could make a "burner" account to try new openings and ideas. When I was lower rated and only playing on chess.com (1500-2000 back then) I did that (evans gambit on 1 account, ruy lopez on other one; or sicilian on 1 account, ...e5 on the other). The problem with it was I couldn't always play different openings on those different accounts OR even when I did play a different position there was nothing different in my play. There was no new psychological gain. I eventually just played what I normally do (ruy lopez and ...e5 at the time), and I ended up deleting those accounts anyway because they held no purpose. I just always tried to play the best move and my best chess, different openings or positions did not matter or influence my psychology or play. I didnt gain anything differently than I would from just having 1 main account.

Possible exception B: streaming/youtubing.
An argument could be that you play different chess when streaming since you narrate your thoughts. The purpose of this new account isnt playing your best chess, but instead your best content creation. Will work perhaps to a degree, but for me, again the same issue occurs, I play the same as I am streaming compared to regular online games. Like I am always the same and try to play the best moves and my best chess. Conclusion is that there is no net gain.

Possible exception C: Team Account
The purpose of this could be to have an account solely for your lichess team and lichess team matches. There is an assumption that your will play differently than you would unaffiliated to a certain team. I know many players who have their own main account, and a lichess team account. I have not noticed them playing too differently for the team matches and their own main account's games. Basically they play the same and simply try to play the best moves. Therefore for me personally I do not understand the purpose of these multiple accounts. 🤔 I conclude there is no net gain.

At the end of the day it comes down to playing your best chess. 1 account is efficient for that purpose. these other accounts may psychologically give you new insight into the game, maybe? BUT I think it depends on the person. I always play the same. I dont need a burner account to play more aggressively.

My conclusion is to not have multiple accounts. I think everyone should consult with lichess before they decide to make another account. Also they need to take into account the purpose of this account and if there will be a net gain. I believe there is no advantage to making another account. IF you make another account so you can "relax" or not play the best chess, you are then just going to be reinforcing bad thinking habits and it will make you a worse chess player. It is also considered sandbagging. This is a conclusion from my own experience; there is simply no gain from another account.

Follow the rules. Don't make multiple accounts. 🤓

Possible exception D: Trying to disappear

Trying to hide the record of your games played so others dont prepare for you. I can understand this, but why not just delete the account you arent using to be efficient?

Conclusion: No net gain.

Follow the rules. Don't make multiple accounts. 🤓

1 normal account and 1 Account for Farming Against RandomMover is ok?

#23 why would it be? Farming Against RandomMover is not a good reason to create an account...

Here's a short list of valid reasons to create another account:

Berserk account (actually berserk though!)
Blindfold account (Once again, actually use it for blindfold chess!)
Anonymous account
BOT account

@tpr #10 ratings do not work that way. The amount of points you gain/lose for winning depends on rating differential and it will get to the point where you don't gain/lose rating points because the difference is so vast. Part of the reason for that is precisely what you describe. If you try to farm ratings, you gotta do it at a higher level to get higher.

#25
Yes, it does work that way. You still gain some rating until the rating difference is too big. That is the reason the scheme can only work with multiple accounts. That is a reason why multiple accounts are forbidden.

but is it allowed if we dont play any game against it ?

@RTD1109 strictly speaking, you do not need more than one account. Creating another one for experimental purposes may be tolerated.

Another reason no one really mentioned is one account you want to have the highest rating that you can possibly achieve. Let's say you have been approaching the 2k rating milestone and working to break that for a long time and it's important to you. If you're really going for rating, then you have to only play on the days when you're in your best form. If you're having a bad day or a mediocre day you then are locked out of playing chess because it would set your progress back. If you're going for highest rating there is also other strategies that you can use but that may not make for the best playing experience.

So it's a totally valid reason to have one account for peak rating where you are pulling out all the stops to go as high as you can and another when you want to play a little more casually and not have to worry about all that stuff. And, BIG DISTINCTION, THIS IS NOT SANDBAGGING. IT's not even resembling sandbagging, because sandbagging is where you deliberately and intentionally lose games. Not going all out for ratings is not the same as deliberately losing games.

@tpr
I invite you to do more research on how ratings work before you continue to say it works in a way that it doesn't. If you are 2101 and beat a 1500 player, how many rating points will you "win"? Research it and let me know if it surprises you that you would win ZERO points.