Why do GMs have multiple accounts?

I dont know why but maybe it's a status thing. Sort of like rich and famous people have 5 cars even tho they probably don't need 5 cars.

Because they are GM!

Because they often negotiate it with lichess

@KenulL_76 said in #2:
> To hide their opening prep. To play drunk. To speed run (btw speed running is NOT allowed on lichess.)
What is speed runing?

@Rodikus said in #14:
>
It's where you start with an artificially low rating and climb up to your real rating.

Maybe they just keep forgetting their account passwords. GMs have famously poor memories, you know.

Master chess players usually have multiple accounts. I would imagine that this is because they do not like to be spammed, or followed around very easily be fans. They also use different accounts probably because it freaks out their opponents when they see that they are playing the world champion or something. There are also stories I have heard of Masters going around in lower rated accounts simply destroying other players. I do not really understand the reason why, but it is a topic that I do not find relevant to playing chess.

@dnowmects said in #16:
> Maybe they just keep forgetting their account passwords. GMs have famously poor memories, you know.
Yes, once a GM castled Queen with Rook!

@ALucasM said in #6:
> because they can get away with breaking the tos because lichess and chess.com want them on their sites.
Once it is allowed by Lichess (and chess.com), it is not breaking of the terms of service. Many people would not play there at all if they were obliged to play under their name.
I also have anonymous accounts both here and on chess.com, as I do not want to show my preparation, want to try out some openings or experiment with berserking and also prefer to use an anonymous account when feeling unwell. (Some people do not need to get drunk to feel unwell.) Or I might play casual games with my GM friends, when I want to keep those games recorded but secret. There are many good reasons why to play anonymously, as well as there are many good reasons to play under one's real name. In fact, many professionals look at their opponents' online games in their preparation for over-the-board events. (During the pandemic it was almost a must.) Given that I am playing here almost always for free, why should I be punished by helping my opponents in their preparation? In my opinion, it might be problematic when an anonymous player is winning a lot of money here, but it is not the case with a vast majority of anonymous accounts.
As far as I know, many of those titled players with multiple accounts also support Lichess with their donations, thus allowing other people to play there.

I guess also anonymous accounts are useful for WC prep lichess.org/RQTnjMR6