Multiple (duplicate) accounts policy on lichess • page 1/4 • Lichess Feedback • lichess.org

First of all I want to say thanks to everyone who is contributing to lichess!
This is a great place to play and I really enjoy being here :-)

There is a thing though, which bothers me somehow.
Since I have talked about it to few people in private and think it is not good to speak "behind the back" I decided to bring this issue into the public.
While new users register it says: "I agree that I will not create multiple accounts"
Nevertheless, I have met many people who have several accounts - one for zerking in tourneys, one to test new openings or for whatever reasons.
Please understand: I am not strongly against one person having more than one account but it is confusing!
It increases the number of players registred on the site, messes up the rating stats and I also think that around 50% of new created accounts belong to banned abusers. :<
Believe me, I am not trying to bring FICS-policy to lichess.
I guess several people will jump on me exactly for that, as they possibly know that I used to be an admin there...
Indeed, we had to spend a lot of time on "dupe-hunting" and other kind of abuse and the only ones who had the permission to have second (playing) account been the members of the admin-team for obvious reasons.
𝐌𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 @ -𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞.
Kind regards,
Jenny (alias Funkmaus since 2005 on any chess-site)

First of all I want to say thanks to everyone who is contributing to lichess! This is a great place to play and I really enjoy being here :-) There is a thing though, which bothers me somehow. Since I have talked about it to few people in private and think it is not good to speak "behind the back" I decided to bring this issue into the public. While new users register it says: "I agree that I will not create multiple accounts" Nevertheless, I have met many people who have several accounts - one for zerking in tourneys, one to test new openings or for whatever reasons. Please understand: I am not strongly against one person having more than one account but it is confusing! It increases the number of players registred on the site, messes up the rating stats and I also think that around 50% of new created accounts belong to banned abusers. :< Believe me, I am not trying to bring FICS-policy to lichess. I guess several people will jump on me exactly for that, as they possibly know that I used to be an admin there... Indeed, we had to spend a lot of time on "dupe-hunting" and other kind of abuse and the only ones who had the permission to have second (playing) account been the members of the admin-team for obvious reasons. 𝐌𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 @ -𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞. Kind regards, Jenny (alias Funkmaus since 2005 on any chess-site)

TheUnbreakable

#2

I don't know how lichess will recognise people with so many accounts
Currently u can make one account per one email
And one email per one contact number
So I guess people with multiple accounts must have multiple numbers
And why would everyone put a @ and tell there multiple accounts
And also I think the abusers and cheaters are IP banned (I guess not sure completely)
And some simply make an account for opening tests (as u have said) so they want to see where they stand in this large pool
And number of them is quite small so I don't think it should mess with the rating stats.....
And keeping two accounts are advised by some GMs too(for example magnus carlsen has atleast three accounts so u can blame him for messing with rating stats) (I mean because of him I am just better than 80%) ...u see my point that rating stats doesn't matter much it just gave a brief idea not accurate as all players are not equally trained...But I don't think that rating stats should be taken in consideration for actually checking Ur potential..
Like one for normal play and one for when u r literally 'on top of the world':/..
So well I do have second account and I do have better rating in it by some 200 points so it matters..
And @Funkmaus ik I have typed so many different points so good luck finding and clubbing them together:)

I don't know how lichess will recognise people with so many accounts Currently u can make one account per one email And one email per one contact number So I guess people with multiple accounts must have multiple numbers And why would everyone put a @ and tell there multiple accounts And also I think the abusers and cheaters are IP banned (I guess not sure completely) And some simply make an account for opening tests (as u have said) so they want to see where they stand in this large pool And number of them is quite small so I don't think it should mess with the rating stats..... And keeping two accounts are advised by some GMs too(for example magnus carlsen has atleast three accounts so u can blame him for messing with rating stats) (I mean because of him I am just better than 80%) ...u see my point that rating stats doesn't matter much it just gave a brief idea not accurate as all players are not equally trained...But I don't think that rating stats should be taken in consideration for actually checking Ur potential.. Like one for normal play and one for when u r literally 'on top of the world':/.. So well I do have second account and I do have better rating in it by some 200 points so it matters.. And @Funkmaus ik I have typed so many different points so good luck finding and clubbing them together:)

Mate_on_f7

#3

@Funkmaus I have 2 accounts; @alt_f7 and myself.
My blitz rating here is exceptionally low; I have created my other account to play blitz against 1400s.

@Funkmaus I have 2 accounts; @alt_f7 and myself. My blitz rating here is exceptionally low; I have created my other account to play blitz against 1400s.

starwarmonkey

#4

I have created a second account... Now I feel guilty.

pn2206 edited

#5

Well, although excessive multi-accounting is not allowed, lichess allow multiple accounts for legitimate reasons https://lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/are-alt-accounts-allowed#2, Thibault says that you're allowed to create multiple accounts if there's a good reason behind it. Blindfold accounts and bot accounts are correct reasons to have another account https://lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/are-alt-accounts-allowed?page=2#13 , but troll openings is not really a good enough reason to have another account https://lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/are-alt-accounts-allowed?page=2#16. I myself don't have any other account on lichess. And @Mate_On_f7 you don't need another account to play against 1400s, if your rating is 1400 on your other account, it'd make sence that you can become a 1400 on this account as well

SavageAntarctican edited

#6

@Funkmaus If you want to make a bot account, then sure, go on ahead and make a bot alt. Other than that you can make like a third account for like experimenting with crazy openings as well. This is similar to what a few people done. But 3 accounts is the max.

Edit: Apparently, @ChessMathNerd doesn't have a bot account even though I'm pretty sure he's agreed that he does have one before.

@Funkmaus If you want to make a bot account, then sure, go on ahead and make a bot alt. Other than that you can make like a third account for like experimenting with crazy openings as well. This is similar to what a few people done. But 3 accounts is the max. Edit: Apparently, @ChessMathNerd doesn't have a bot account even though I'm pretty sure he's agreed that he does have one before.

ReallyWayTooBad

#7

does anyone know if phone accounts are allowed, or secret alts for opening prep because i have seen them before

CalbernandHowbe

edited

#8

I think they are allowed, up to 3 accounts

Some people may want to create an alt account to be anonymous rather than just trying out new stuff, so this idea may not work.....

I think they are allowed, up to 3 accounts Some people may want to create an alt account to be anonymous rather than just trying out new stuff, so this idea may not work.....

WFM Funkmaus

edited

#9

Thanks everyone who responded here - I really do appreciate the discussion.

Is that stated somewhere in ToS that one person can have up to 3 human playing accounts?

@SavageAntarctican - I am not intending to create blind or bot account; that is not about what I have opened this thread; I know that those kind of accounts are allowed obviously.
I am talking about second human playing account, and things like crazy openings, berserking or posting in forum belong to me - I do exist only once I dont have anything to hide so I stay on my "Funkmaus" with all the stuff I do. :-)
I dont understand your point of pinging ChessMathNerd - they seem to me to be a random person, not topic-related.

@pn2206 Thank you for showing the thread and the official responces.
Well, why should someone use real name as screen-name to participate in a tournament?
Imho, they can still use their nickname and tell to the tournament-organizer the real name.
It seems to be a grey zone are what qualifies for second account and what not.
I miss the explanation of the reasons which qualify and which not in ToS (besides blind- and bot).

@TheUnbreakable Yea I was having hard time to sort out your points but you seem to support multi-accounting or think that the job of dealing with them will give a hard time to the mods.
I am not aware about administrative methods of lichess and even if I would, I would not discuss/post them in public in order not to give a manual on how to cheat or to abuse.
Just one thing: IP-ban is pointless. Abusers are changing their IPs more often than a woman changes her clothes. :-)
You brought Magnus Carlsen in - indeed, he has several accounts but all his accounts are known to community.
I guess a good reason to have another anonyme account for the top-players could be that they want to avoid others to study their openings in order to prepare for the games OTB. On the other hand, they dont have to reveal their indentity by telling community who are them - and here we arrive at my point: one account per person is simply enough. :)
It is like you say: if there are many players with multiple accounts in the 2500+ blitz rating range.
All those accounts are high-rated and they decrease the XX% better stats for everyone around.

Edit:
I can respond to anything only tomorrow since in a few a league tournament starts and it will be late in germany when its over...

Thanks everyone who responded here - I really do appreciate the discussion. Is that stated somewhere in ToS that one person can have up to 3 human playing accounts? @SavageAntarctican - I am not intending to create blind or bot account; that is not about what I have opened this thread; I know that those kind of accounts are allowed obviously. I am talking about second human playing account, and things like crazy openings, berserking or posting in forum belong to me - I do exist only once I dont have anything to hide so I stay on my "Funkmaus" with all the stuff I do. :-) I dont understand your point of pinging ChessMathNerd - they seem to me to be a random person, not topic-related. @pn2206 Thank you for showing the thread and the official responces. Well, why should someone use real name as screen-name to participate in a tournament? Imho, they can still use their nickname and tell to the tournament-organizer the real name. It seems to be a grey zone are what qualifies for second account and what not. I miss the explanation of the reasons which qualify and which not in ToS (besides blind- and bot). @TheUnbreakable Yea I was having hard time to sort out your points but you seem to support multi-accounting or think that the job of dealing with them will give a hard time to the mods. I am not aware about administrative methods of lichess and even if I would, I would not discuss/post them in public in order not to give a manual on how to cheat or to abuse. Just one thing: IP-ban is pointless. Abusers are changing their IPs more often than a woman changes her clothes. :-) You brought Magnus Carlsen in - indeed, he has several accounts but all his accounts are known to community. I guess a good reason to have another anonyme account for the top-players could be that they want to avoid others to study their openings in order to prepare for the games OTB. On the other hand, they dont have to reveal their indentity by telling community who are them - and here we arrive at my point: one account per person is simply enough. :) It is like you say: if there are many players with multiple accounts in the 2500+ blitz rating range. All those accounts are high-rated and they decrease the XX% better stats for everyone around. Edit: I can respond to anything only tomorrow since in a few a league tournament starts and it will be late in germany when its over...

CM Sarg0n

#10

Sometimes you just want to play anonymously. Completely anonymous, no followers whatsoever.