Why chess's popularity is in rapid decline?

Question

I am an avid chess player and i am worried about the rapid decline of chess these days. Why do you think the popularity is declining?

My answer:
I think chess was used as a political tool during the cold war era. It's popularity during the cold war era was unprecedented. Espicially after the 72 match with spassky and fischer, chess memberships everywhere doubled and chess in the mainsteam was at it's height. Because of this chess was never marketed commercially, it was only a political tool, which would decline as political strifes ended. And since it was never commerciliazed properly, it would remain a game that is virtually unknown to the newer generation. And because of this ignorence, the game has many tags which disassosiate it with mainsteam culture. Nerdiness, old people's game, too complex for the average mind etc...

Answer 1

the reasons for chess declining in popularity are numerous......... as you suggested, political pride was a big factor in the game's popularity......... additionally, intelligence is looked down on and ridiculed in mainstream american culture today, with the ideal person being presented as just about anything but a chess player......... i mean, chess players are portrayed as guys (cause we all know, "ladies don't play chess") who are in the a/v club, are physically weak, are soft or homosugarual......... just pretty much whatever the stupid people want to say them has been ok......... maybe that's too hard of a view of it, but it seems to me to be true......... i mean, it's just not "cool" to play chess......... but i don't think that's the main reason why chess has declined in popularity.........



before i say this i want to qualify it......... i love chess......... i have played since i was 8.........



that being said, chess kinda sucks compared to other games today......... if you can beat someone at chess, you can do it like 5 in 6 or 9 in 10 times played......... that sucks for the weaker player......... to find a good match is hard......... you might be the proper player in your group of friends, but if you go to the local coffee house you might not be able to beat anyone there......... everybody that i know that i can have a face to face game with, i can beat consistently, so nobody shall play me......... when i moved to where i live now, the local guys who grew up around here played a little chess and there was one guy who was supposed to be the proper......... we played, i won 6 in a row......... he was almost ready to fight over it......... i get online and i'm a nobody......... lol it sucks......... there's no luck......... it is a game of pure skill......... people shall read this think "like baseball or basketball" but they would be wrong......... there are no puddles of sweat on the floor, no wind, no chance of a sprained ankle......... people want a game that's not going to involve losing the first 50 or 75 games they try and play......... besides that, chess is a real low-tech strategy war simulation......... today, if i want a strategy war simulation, i use my computer and replay historic or fantastic battles in a graphically created world......... chess sucks big time compared to command and conquer or civilization.........

bottom line, chess is way past it's prime and even without the dumb people ridiculing away anything resembling thought, it's on the way out......... but, i'll still play it, even online where i'm target practice for far smarter men, or some dumber ones using a cheap program to let their computer think for them......... if i keep practiced, then i can still rout the newcomers, maybe.........

Answer 2

Not in decline it's popularity has risen way above what it was pre-2006 but with popularity comes a cost people from the gaming world moved into chess and brought cheating, hacks, low tactics, swollen egos anything to win.



It's toxic in every way I have a 7 year old daughter and a 8 year old son and I won't let them play on the Internet sexist comments, swearing, trolling, bad attitude not an environment i want them to learn in.

Answer 3

The amount of people playing is actually increasing due to the accessibility of online chess.However, it's popularity in relation to other games is declining simply because many more games exist than forty years ago.

Answer 4

i'm not sure it is.

frankly, i think more chess games have likely been played in the last year than at any year period in history. just because the bulk of those are throw away internet blitz games doesn't mean they aren't being played.



there are lots of choices for entertainment right now, more than ever before. the result is that a game like chess is more niche than ever, but at the same time that niche has more resources than ever before. i remember when i started playing, learning from books, playing over the board, it was slow and difficult. these days you can download a couple apps and learn more and get more games in in a month than i did in a year.

Answer 5

Nonsense. Im infact looking for a chess clock for the bil's b/day.





They're all quite competitive so I want to add some strain into the games. Their sarcastic banter is good(father/son), this should help it skyrocket. I can hear my brother in law saying, come on now, tick tock, get a shifty on.

Answer 6

Because we're stupidizing.

Answer 7

I wasn't aware that chess was becoming more unpopular. Where did you hear that from? Was it something you read in a magazine or saw on TV? If it is in decline, as you stated, my best guess that the reason is the PlayStation and X-Box being so much more enjoyable than a game that they find to be slow, dull, and boring. It could also be that the Internet is a more pleasant experience for them than thinking really hard for 30 great moves and then a single hasty move costs them all their hard work and the game is lost.

Answer 8

I use to play chess regular. When it change the whole format I got confused. It came with no warning. Suddenly it like a new club showing buttons and knobs and no instructions to show how it works. I played 3 games then never play again.



Even their board apologized and sent an e-mail address for lessons. I have get a printout showing lessons.

Answer 9

I don't know where you get your facts from, but chess generally is NOT in decline. If you're not in your local club, then join one, and you'll soon see how wrong you are. Where do you live, the North Pole?

Answer 10

It isn't fast-paced enough. Its a good game, certainly, but in todays culture, with smartphones and nearly everything at our fingertips, its too slow.