Chess is only a game to those who are not too serious about it.
Chess offers much more to those who are serious about it. The effort
required to strive to be a better thinking person in order to play the
most effective moves can raise one to a level greater than the
ordinary person. Ever talk chess to a master level player? He can
make your head spin with his knowledge about the "game".
Please realize most of us just dabble with the things we do in life.
Professional master level chessplayer "live" chess! ...And I, for one,
would like to be a master player before my life expires - a goal I have
come close to in correspondence but not yet reached.
If you are that serious about chess, then you probably would be better playing on a site with
full-time staff and subscription fees. I see, and always have seen this site as being aimed at
'social' players like myself, and I imagine most of its users come under that category. You
can still enjoy and benefit from something, even if you are only "dabbling" in it.
I pay to play at two other sites aside from paying here to be a pawn
star so as to support this site.
Yes, I agree, there are many social players here. And usually, one's
rating will indicate the seriousness with which one plays chess. Those
above about 1600 here are fairly serious. Those below are more
interested in having fun and less interested in precision play. The
chess world takes all kinds of players. RHP is a small representation
of that world.