When I joined lichess, I quickly learned that having chat disabled makes for a far better experience. In that sense, saying something after (or at the start of the game) is a non-issue for me.
Having said that, if you can't even be bothered to type out 'good game', something like 'gg' or 'wf' becomes meaningless. Always typing 'gg' just makes an automatism, one which you take a short cut for as well. It ceased to be polite, and became protocol instead.
I prefer not to type anything before, during or after the game. If person starts a chat I will reply back (usually). I don't think it's rude to just leave. It would be strange over the board though, but not online.
online, is still virtual social interaction, i conclude. I myself mostly use chat, for note sharing, or real communication, rarely protocol. i assume the game and repeat games are enough to say i enjoy playing games with the opponent. i use rematch to tell that (not out of spite). I will only use the script for testing. However, those using the scripts, are still consciously making an effort to not let their momentary disappointment leave an unpleasant trail.
I think one can't easily interpret any silence from chat. So, be yourself. If an hermit you are, playing games being the max interaction you are willing to have, then so be it, already glad to play. Really difficult to have constructed norms on the internet, and those take time anyway, for now, speed is the emerging pressure, and lack of expressive interface.
Out of my experience, only ~5% of opponents write gg in the end, and even _respond_ to a gg.
This looks even more disappointing when compared to e.g. such famously toxic community as CS:GO players. It's way more common there to gg your opponents, regardless of the obscenity which happened literally seconds before.
Intellect often comes along with arrogance.
Well, then, might silence be better than normal toxicity?
thanks for the many replies! i still believe that my behaviour online shouldnt differ much from the offline-world and playing offline chess includes a handshake which is a ggwp after the online game. but i can understand many point of the "silent-leaver-fraction" and i am glad that we can discuss this here. thanks alot
"should people be polite or just leave" < - - - In the context of online chess, this is an "Either Or" fallacy.
youre right, the question is kinda suggestive...sorry for that, but i think most of the commentators got my point
@stfn "Is it better for the environment, and possibly for a person's own character, to say 'Well Played, Thank You' after losing a game, particularly if it was a very close game and/ a tough loss?"
Yes. The answer is "yes".
Situation: After a sharp game and hard loss, is the opponent ready to receive or give a comment? The player rating might have been 2200 (lost) to a 1600 (Winner).
Good deed: The 2200, knowing he blundered, could have said something like ... Good game, when I traded Queen's ... it helped you more than me.
Chess Environment: Zen mode is the solution. Only the chessboard counts. the rest of the features is optional. Do you see a chat box in Zen mode?
Be your own boss. Think during a game, learn from it after. By pressing the analyze button, your opponent should be told: "Opponent left to analyze the game." That's a feature that needs to be added. If the opponent follows you to the analysis section, then the situation might be ripe to say something nice in the chat.
If a game was completed with a checkmate, then everything that needed to be said, has been said.
When in zugzwang, try resigning with finesse. That's being polite.
Another new feature that's needed for the chat box is ... If the opponent is typing, then the chat box needs to temporarily say something like: "Incoming message....". Normally you would wait to see the message. That too is being polite.
Think out of the (chat) box, be proactive, not reactive in a chat box.
