share a GOOD EXPERIENCE for a change

"I always do this in real life, and I tend to repeat these gestures here too, but is it really something to be proud of?"

No, but it shows up to some point that you care about what others think of you. It makes you appear more likeable ...
My good experience? Weather's been absolutely awesome the last few days! :> Great conditions for sunbathing, BBQing etc.

It's the little things...

I hear you thinking D_god... Try the BIG Mushrooms too

Courtesy is nice, but I don't think one should feel obligated to express it. If I say gg first, it's usually because I found the game to be interesting.

I also say it more when I lose rather than when I win, as an acknowledgment that I have been bested.

I would never start a conversation during a non-correspondence game of chess as this most often would be considered highly inappropriate in real life. (If my opponent says "hi" or something I'll of course offer them some words in return as I guess many would see this as equivalent of shaking hands.)

After a loss I always try to say "gg" or "wp" as it is almost always the loser in chess who offers to shake hands as an admission of defeat.

@Sollerman... you are right -- I never thought of in game chat it that way. I guess I am expressing my cultural difference: although I was on a chess team in high school and have limited tournament experience, chess has always been a social/ chat game for me.

Sometimes chat naturally evolves from move/ situation commentary... But I started the thread to celebrate the LARGE number of truly decent and civil people in our community

Yeah, I think there are far more civil people than trolls here.

@Isaiah4031 There are other things I personally consider bad manners which I fully understand is not, such as offering takebacks or offering extra time, not to mention actually requesting it. I never do this, although I tend to accept if someone else does. If I happen to make a losing mouseslip I simply resign and move on to the next game.
But this is how I'm conditioned to react. I'm the "I'm here to play chess, not to socialize" kind of guy at the chess club. I'm generally easygoing and not very competitive but Chess is Chess. Just wanted to point out that what constitutes good manners/sportsmanship for some can be the opposite for others.

As this is a thread about sharing good experiences and not about debating I'll share one thing which I'll never forget:
I was sligthly under pressure as black in a 5-minute game. I had found a very counter intuitive and "sneaky" queen move. All of a sudden I had the initiative. My opponent thought and thought and then said "gm". I wasn't familiar with the abbreviation but soon realized it meant "good move". This isn't very spectacular in itself; but to me in that moment, and because of the very nature of the move, it just made my day.
So now I actually try to say something when my opponent makes a move which I find pleasing for some reason, especially if he's significantly lower rated. I find this to be equivalent of the very slight nod I would make IRL to aknowledge the strength of my opponents move.
Others are of course more expressive but I enjoy the under stated.

@Sollerman -- no argument! Courtesy and grace takes different forms -- one of the rarest is understatement. I am sure I would enjoy playing against you

With today's advanced knowledge of AI and neuronal cuddle-muddle, it shoudn't be too difficult for one or the other youngster whizkids (or retiredes with time on their hands), to write some code that analyzes the games and the chat comments, and based thereupon give each player a 'decency rating'.