Don't play longer time controls if you want a blitz game

I recently switched to playing only rapid chess (mostly 30-minute games) to figure out why my rating wasn’t climbing. It’s made a huge difference. Taking my time to really think through each move has helped me blunder less and spot better plays, and it’s building good habits.

But I’m starting to hate the attitude of some opponents. In blitz, most people were pretty chill, but in rapid, it’s been the opposite...

One of my weaknesses was trying to think faster than I could manage, so I took the advice of some pros and focused on using my time wisely. I’m deliberately taking my time, checking each move for blunders, opportunities, and threats. It’s working, too—I’m winning most games with 5-10 minutes left on my clock while my opponents often still have 25+ minutes left.

The problem is, a lot of them seem to get annoyed by this. They spam the chat with insults, try to rush me, or, when they realise they’re losing, just sit there and let the clock run out with 15+ minutes left. It’s gotten so bad I’ve had to disable chat, which sucks because I used to enjoy talking to people about chess and getting to know them a bit. That experience feels ruined now.

Seriously, if you want a quick game, just stick to blitz... why play rapid if you’re not actually going to use the time?