Questions tagged [etiquette]
Questions regarding the written rules, or the unwritten customs, that concern proper behavior in the world of chess.
72
questions
28
votes
4answers
7k views
Why do GMs repeat moves instead of offering a draw?
Watching recaps of the 2021 Candidates Tournaments, so many games end in consecutive repeating moves. I have a general impression that lots of top level games are drawn by repeating moves. Why do the ...
11
votes
2answers
2k views
Is analysing moves on separate board in correspondence chess ethical?
In Lichess, any form of external help (e.g. engines) is forbidden, even in correspondence chess. However, there is an option to open a separate board where one can make unlimited scratch moves.
I ...
7
votes
7answers
10k views
When you are winning, is it ethical to not go for a checkmate right away?
If you are leading a game, is it ethical to capture your opponent's pieces one by one or go straight for checkmate?
13
votes
4answers
6k views
I provided water bottle to my opponent, he drank it then lost on time due to the need of using bathroom. Is this unethical?
Many years ago, I was playing in a chess tournament. We had been at the board for at least three hours. My opponent had spent the entire time at the board trying to find good moves. I had the better ...
0
votes
0answers
48 views
Is it actual part of sportsmanship to resign early? [duplicate]
In the Queen's Gambit TV series (S01E01), when the young protagonist loses her queen (she just started to learn), her teacher tells her that this is the moment when she is expected to resign. When she ...
15
votes
2answers
3k views
Resignation when a draw is offered
In a recent online game, I offered a draw when the endgame is clearly drawing. To my surprise, instead of replying to my draw offer, my opponent resigned. I have no idea why they did so and my best ...
18
votes
6answers
6k views
Is it bad etiquette to keep playing in a clearly hopeless position?
Recently I played a blitz game (5m+5s) with an opponent with rating 1500+. I had a clearly losing endgame (K vs KQ). My opponent was not under any time pressure but he made a blunder and the game ...
14
votes
7answers
7k views
Is it bad etiquette to try to make an opponent lose on time when a position is clearly drawn?
The other day I was playing a rapid game (30 minutes each side) online. I got into time trouble but I managed to convert the position into a drawn endgame. (Not just a theoretical draw—a clear draw ...
20
votes
10answers
9k views
How to minimise your opponent's fun in a game?
I play numerous online chess games and in this question I am self-centred: I play for two purposes:
to win the game, or when winning is unlikely, to draw the game.
to improve my chess skills, which ...
2
votes
1answer
268 views
What are the rules around talking/ communicating during a chess game?
I heard in a youtube video that you are not allowed to talk to your opponent unless you are saying check or checkmate. Obviously, this rule is loosely enforced in casual play, but is this true?
2
votes
4answers
271 views
After a blunder, is it better to resign or keep playing?
I often wonder if it is better to resign or keep playing at a disadvantage after making an obvious blunder (for instance, leaving a piece hanging, only to realize too late that you made the mistake).
...
23
votes
7answers
10k views
In a online game, is it considered good etiquette to offer a draw when the opponent obviously misclicked?
For example, instead of capturing (and therefore exchanging) the queen on d8, white moved his queen from d1 to d7, and black can capture this queen for free. This is very likely the result of a ...
32
votes
5answers
15k views
Game ended with a handshake
In a amateur game, black offered a handshake and white shook hands with him and neither spoke any word and the game ended. Later they had a dispute whether the game is a draw or a win for white. Black ...
14
votes
2answers
4k views
How to indicate that “I need more time to consider your draw offer” in a formal game?
When my opponent makes a draw offer, I will consider whether to accept this draw offer or not and this consideration could take very long, say 20 minutes or more.
What is a good etiquette now to ...
17
votes
4answers
8k views
What's the etiquette for giving checkmate on board?
I wonder what is considered to be a polite way of giving mate on board. Should one announce the checkmate? If so, should one press the clock after making the move, or stop it, or simply do nothing?
...
4
votes
2answers
488 views
Is it ethical to refer to opening book for the first few moves of a correspondence game? [duplicate]
I am still learning chess (been playing ~6 months steadily now and am at ~1300) and have recently been enjoying correspondence chess with a 3 day time control. I find it gives me time to really ...
9
votes
2answers
3k views
Is it bad form to go for a lengthy but losing endgame that you suspect will be winning on time? [duplicate]
In blitz games, I sometimes have to choose between sharper positions that I suspect will put me at some slight positional advantage and positions easily played by my side but difficult for my opponent ...
43
votes
5answers
15k views
Is it sportsmanlike to waste opponents' time by giving check at the end of the game?
In Blitz games, with very little time left for both players, is it acceptable to keep on checking the opponent and waste their time and win the game on time? Is that true sportsmanship?
38
votes
7answers
12k views
Do you say “good game” after a game in which your opponent played poorly?
Suppose you win a game in a noncompetitive way, when you know your opponent cannot feel good about his play. Maybe he dropped his queen early, to a simple tactic that should have been evident for a ...
44
votes
17answers
10k views
How do you keep chess fun when your opponent constantly beats you?
How do you keep chess fun when the only person that wants to play against you beats you all the time? I am struggling to want to keep playing, because I get smashed all the time, and it is not fun ...
17
votes
4answers
6k views
Is it improper etiquette to ask your opponent what his/her rating is before the game?
Suppose you're playing in a tournament. For the purpose of filling up your scoresheet, is it improper etiquette to ask your opponent what his/her rating is before the game?
14
votes
2answers
2k views
Is it allowed to talk to your opponent in a tournament game?
Suppose my opponent in a tournament was running very low on time, and after move 40, presses the clock and leaves the board for a while, falsely believing they will get extra time on their clock. ...
30
votes
1answer
6k views
Is it bad etiquette to decline a draw offer when participating in a simul?
On LiChess, FM knightprince gave a simul where I participated (our game). I blundered a pawn played a pawn gambit, but managed to complicate things and won it back. Afterwards, the game would have ...
5
votes
3answers
379 views
FIDE ignores my case. How to proceed?
Last year, there was an incident where the arbiter ignored cheating, and I filed a report to register a case to FIDE Ethics Commission. The registration was made by email, in November 2017, and I have ...
4
votes
4answers
561 views
Casual chess meet up in London UK
I’m a (predominantly) online chess player. My rating is roughly FIDE 1800-1900. I’m travelling to the UK next week for work.
Is there a place or club or cafe in the inner or outer London area where I ...
15
votes
3answers
5k views
Is there any etiquette about how to proceed when a technical problem leads to a misplay in an online game? [duplicate]
Recently I was playing an online game when I moved my king with the intent of castling. However, I apparently didn't get it far enough over, and when I "let it go", the king was placed in a square ...
39
votes
6answers
19k views
What are the actions one can do against chess.com players who stop moving when they are in an objectively losing position and refuse to resign?
One of my opponents at chess.com just stopped moving after falling into objectively losing position, refused to resign, and made me wait for 20 minutes to claim a win by time.
I've recently resumed ...
1
vote
1answer
223 views
Candidates 2013: could Ivanchuk have drawn?
In the last round of the Candidates of the 2013 World Championship, there were two players left in contention. Kramnik (black vs. Ivanchuk) needed to outperform Carlsen (white vs. Svidler). In the ...
4
votes
1answer
369 views
Ethics of play in the last rounds of a tournament
Suppose I'm playing in a small, 6-round tournament. I win the first five rounds, which also guarantees at least a share of 1st regardless of the results of the last round. What are the ethics of play ...
4
votes
5answers
747 views
How do I respond to an arrogant beginner? [closed]
I played a skittles game (no clocks, arbiter etc.) against a beginner who did a lot of trash talking, which I didn't rise to. Here is an example of the conversation:
Beginner: I'm going to beat you ...
2
votes
1answer
221 views
Should captured pieces remain visible?
I don't think there's a rule about this, but maybe it's a matter of etiquette. Nearly every player I've encountered puts the pieces they capture next to the board, but I've met some who like to store ...
10
votes
5answers
2k views
How should one resign properly?
In some of the tournaments I've been to, there were pretty indecent people (some of whose licenses were revoked).
One of my friends had a terrible incident. At the end of the game, he was dominating ...
20
votes
4answers
6k views
Why do some players consider it rude not to accept a rematch in online blitz?
I play a lot of online blitz, and frequently my opponent would offer a rematch after a game. Although I sometimes accept, I usually am more interested in analyzing the game to see if I can learn from ...
7
votes
2answers
990 views
How many times should I let my opponent know they forgot to press their clock?
I've had this question on my mind for a while, and I searched around and found a previous question (Should you let your opponent know if they have forgotten to press their clock?) that touched on the ...
18
votes
7answers
6k views
Is it ethical to spar against an engine when playing correspondence?
I started playing correspondence on chess.com purely for the fun of it and to gain some deep learning (i.e. there's no prize involved).
We are about 10 moves in and coming close to me being out of ...
1
vote
6answers
1k views
Is it disrespectful to pay attention to other things while playing?
Sometimes when I'm playing a variation that I'm comfortable with I get bored while waiting for my opponent to move, so I get distracted and start to pay attention to other things around me.
I know ...
-7
votes
1answer
852 views
Moral question about online chess & engine analysis [closed]
This isn't so much a 'hard' knowledge or analysis question, but more of a request for feedback on a moral issue.
I cheat in online chess, daily/correspondence that is. I use a strong engine not only ...
1
vote
1answer
104 views
Would it be offensive to a chess coach to hire another titled player just to play training games with?
Say I have a chess coach, but I hire another titled player to play training games with. Would it be offensive or alright to do? Or they would they care as long as I'm paying them?
18
votes
5answers
5k views
Why does a touched piece not have to move in online play?
There is a rule of playing the game of chess that a touched piece of one's own should be the one to move. I have always been taught by professional trainers from early childhood that this is the ...
3
votes
1answer
372 views
How to offer a draw when the opponent is not present
Imagine that your opponent is away from the board and you want to make a move and then offer a draw and leave for the toilet with some urgency. What is the solution to this inconvenience? Can a player ...
8
votes
4answers
501 views
How to resign when my opponent is not at the board?
This happened to me yesterday. It was unreasonable for me to play on, so I was going to resign but my opponent was not at the board. They probably left the board to watch another game, waiting for ...
9
votes
8answers
4k views
Why do some players never accept a draw offer?
Some of the people I play against will never accept a draw offer, even in positions that are a theoretical draw.
I know it's a draw. They know it's a draw. But they want to play until:
Draw by ...
17
votes
12answers
6k views
When losing in blitz, is it rude to play to win on time?
In blitz, I frequently find myself in a position where I'm hopelessly losing on the board but have a good chance of winning on time (and the other way around). Is it generally considered good ...
10
votes
6answers
3k views
Are there any grandmasters who always play until checkmate?
Are there any high-level players who are either known for playing games out until the bitter end or have done so in famous circumstances? Is this considered poor etiquette (I'd imagine it would be ...
17
votes
8answers
2k views
Accidental moves in online chess
If your opponent makes an accidental move, e.g. by slipping the mouse, and it is obvious that is was accidental, how should you continue? Should you just play the best move as if your opponent's last ...
5
votes
2answers
823 views
How much time on my clock do I have to lose before it is legal to stop notating?
When I play in tournaments, I do not know when it is legal to stop chess notation. Also, if my opponent stops notating, is it okay for me to stop notating as well?
15
votes
5answers
4k views
He has two queens. I have one. Is it proper chess etiquette to check him non stop just to avoid losing?
I am losing a game. My only option is to check my opponent non stop. I have no chance to checkmate him. I am only hoping to force a draw. Is this proper chess etiquette?
16
votes
4answers
2k views
What is the proper etiquette in Team Chess Championships?
In Team Chess Championships, what is the proper etiquette for being a player?
This question is mainly focused on:
Can I see my teammates’ games during the match? (I suspect I can.)
If I win quickly, ...
11
votes
2answers
1k views
Is it poor form to win a drawn position on time?
I was playing a 3-minute game, my opponent had around 15 seconds to my ~50 seconds when he managed to cancel out the last pawns to make it so we each had a king and a rook. I let his time run out and ...
3
votes
3answers
308 views
How large can a rating difference become before either player realizes it's not worth engaging in a game?
I think the relationship changes as rankings increase. For example, players with ratings lower than 1000 might be able to play all other players in that range and still enjoy themselves, but if a sub-...
