Of course, you don't really have to say anything. If you were to send something in the chat, I feel just a "Good Luck!" is played out. Trash talk can be interesting, if a little rude. What do you like to send before games begin?
Well, in some games, I like to say "Have fun!" or a friendly greeting. Usually though, I mostly speak at the end of the round.
I help them notice some blunders and share a chess resource here and there that can be beneficial to them. Not many players that play on mobile have access to the chess lessons that Lichess provides, so I usually tell them to check out ChessTalk and GothamChess on YouTube.
FWIW, since I often play on mobile the chat area is completely off screen. I wouldn't notice any messages unless I deliberately check for them since there is no indication otherwise. Especially unlikely I'd check in the seconds before a game starts as it can be a distraction and would typically be a fruitless use of effort regardless.
I just press the auto Hello and Good Luck buttons
