watchers should be able to chat with the players

Hey,

If you have a group of friends playing, it would be great if they could talk to eachother and rotate who is playing.

Currently the observers can't chat with the players or rotate who is playing.

I understand that during play an unknown observer might blurt out advice or distract the players. But you could add an option to disable the boserver chat.

Or even disable the chat during the game, but after and between the games observers could talk with the players to comment the game for example and socialize.

It is hard to make friends in this site, because there is no option to hang out with them.

In other not so serious sites I have had lots of fun while being in the table with multible friends and we took turns playing and chatted away.

I would ask you to create a social feature like this on lichess. Where you could not only chat with observers (with an option to turn it off if there are distracting abusive observers) but where you could also stand up from the game and let an observer sit, without losing the table and the room.

Please make this site even greater! It is already the best free site for playing, let's make it the best site for socializing aswel?

Maybe this could be a thing for casual games where the players can invite people from their friends list to chat or even swap in. Other player should get to approve/deny each invite

By the way, the chat in the analysis screen is shared for everyone

I think it should be optional for rated games also.

I don't mind chatting while playing rated. A good banter is always fun.

I also think this is a good idea.

Not just friends, but as a business. I have two teachers here at lichess and I would be very happy if both could chat with me and each other during a game (rated).

Thanks for considering this option.

For rated games this would be problematic, but maybe for casual games this could be considered.