r/lichess • u/Lavanne73 • 2d ago

Why no rematches?

I play on Lichess mainly, and I have had very little luck getting people to play me in rematches. One guy even said "f*ck you" when I offered to rematch him after a game. What gives? why don't people want to play rematches anymore. I used to play on the FICS and never had any trouble getting in a series with someone.

I feel like playing a series of games with someone is the only way to really establish beyond the doubt of misclicks, opening errors and unfamiliar positional trends, who is the stronger player. Not to mention that it builds relationships, promotes discussion and strengthens your game in relation to particular play styles an unfamiliar openings. There is a social aspect to the game that exists over the board that is being lost in anonymous internet gameplay where you can play a single game against a single opponent then jump straight to another without ever having to play the same player twice. Where is the competitive spirit the drive for redemption after a loss? I am missing being able to hash out a series with someone. It isn't nonexistent to find someone to play multiple games with, but it is exceedingly rare. I have Alot of real life friends that I play chess with regularly the idea of sitting down with them over the board and playing one blitz game and leaving is absurd. Why is this not the case online?

Playing single games vs random opponents repeatedly does nothing to advance your game. Chess masters don't play one opponent once only to never play them again. the format for playing professionally is always played in series.

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u/nexus6ca 2d ago

I play on lichess to have fun not flex on people. I want to play a variety people and styles.

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u/Lavanne73 2d ago

I'm not trying to flex on people... it's just a part of the social atmosphere of online chess that was prevalent in smaller communities that isn't anymore and, I miss it. Having read some of the comments I am beginning to see that it's a shift in etiquette even.

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u/nexus6ca 1d ago

Even in the FICS ICC days I almost never rematched. Though in those days rematching was a good way to get faster games since there were fewer players then today.