Over at chessninja.com, Mig Greengard writes:
"There's no doubt chess can discipline the mind to work more effectively in many ways." But, he adds, "Those benefits are promptly negated when you become addicted to online blitz and cease to be a productive member of society."
I've heard this sort of thing for many years. Our friend Seirawan's foundation is based on the theory that chess is good for kids. You can go onto the Internet and find plenty of articles that say chess builds character, chess teaches you about life, chess makes you smarter, etc etc.
But is it true? A search of "chess" + "mental illness" turns up a Who's Who of chess history, from Morphy to Alekhine to Torre to Tony Miles. Paranoia seems a common side effect, with Fischer achieving perhaps a second world championship in that darker pursuit. Just looking around it seems chess makes people crazy - a search for "obsession with chess" yields 2,750 hits.
So is chess good for you?
Originally posted by lloydkChess is an exercise for the mind.Surely we can all use that.I'd say chess is good for you,but,as with all things,too much might cause negative side effects.It must not become an obsession,it must not take up too much of your life.But it's a great hobby 🙂
Over at chessninja.com, Mig Greengard writes:
"There's no doubt chess can discipline the mind to work more effectively in many ways." But, he adds, "Those benefits are promptly negated when you become addicted to online blitz and cease to be a productive member of society."
I've heard this sort of thing for many years. Our friend Seirawan's f ...[text shortened]... crazy - a search for "obsession with chess" yields 2,750 hits.
So is chess good for you?
Originally posted by lauseyResults 1 - 10 of about 111 for "obsession with feet"
"obsession with porn" - 880 hits
Quite surprising, thought that would be thousands!
1 - 10 of about 497 for "obsession with alcohol"
Results 1 - 10 of about 424 for "obsession with drugs"
Results 1 - 10 of about 213 for "obsession with monkeys".
1 - 1 of 1 for "obsession with bauhaus"
Your search - "obsession with public international law" - did not match any documents.
hmm.... interesting...
Originally posted by lausey"drug addiction" - 1,110,000 hits
"obsession with porn" - 880 hits
Quite surprising, thought that would be thousands!
"pornography addiction" - 10700 hits
"porn addiction" - 9990 hits
"chess addiction" - 75 hits
perhaps the situation is not so bleak
I tend to believe it's an addiction, but it's a positive addiction, not a negative one like drugs and all that rot.
Some people, like myself, just have a need to be addicted to SOMETHING, and since I've never done drugs or any of that garbage, I feel I can allow myself this addiction because it makes me feel good in a beautiful way. Chess is art, and I am an artist at heart, have been ever since I was a kid. It allows me to be creative, allows me some degree of expression.
If not chess, I'm off doing drawing and painting, folding origami, playing guitar, creating and performing magic tricks, perfecting my vocal impersonations, ventriloquism, writing books and poetry, or any of a hundred other hobbies/advocations. (All this, of when I'm not working at my job)
I find my job pretty pointless, and need to have something MEANINFUL in my life to keep me going, and to keep me FROM going nuts.
Chess fits the bill nicely, and because of the myriad possibilities on the chess board, promises a lifetime of drinking from this cup without going dry. I basicly love chess because of it's marvelous possibilities, and it's continual challenge to perfect something (I'm miles from the goal, of course).
If you think about the endgame, you can see that it is a game to be mastered by those who study dilligently and assiduosly. There is truly a FINE ART to the game, especially apparent in the endgame, that appeals to the artist in my soul. When I look at the endgame, I see BEAUTY in the simplicity/complexity of ideas and strategies. The endgame, to my mind, is the most beautiful part of the game, and I see it as even more beautiful than a painting by any famous artist. the pieces are the brush and paint, and only the finest players in the world can share in the total mastery of that phase. Perhaps in twenty or thirty years I'll be there too. who knows. I certainly am going to give it my best shot. And if I die trying, oh well. At least I gave it my best.
Yup, I'm addicted, and i admit it. But I'm happy about it. I enjoy this addiction, this escape from the everyday world of work your tail off for little reward.
At least with chess, I have been rewarded with pleasure and enjoyment, and the game is a well that never runs dry.
Long live chess addiction!
I think it's great for kids. Among other things it teaches:
1. acceptance of responsibility (you can't blame your teammate or the tricky wind or the bounce of the ball
2. examining consequences of your actions before doing something
3. value of study and hard work and experience
Also, in comparison with other activities, you can do it until you're so old your mind has turned to mush. And even with mushy brains you can do it if you can still recall how the pieces move.
I once played a man with no arms. He used a twisted coat hanger in his mouth to punch the clock and move the pieces and he trashed me. Physical power is not a necessity, as in other competitive activities. And it's fun.
Chess can also reveal character. Three things I learned about myself in the past few months from playing chess.
1. I don't give up...an important quality in my work, something to consider in my relationships. I don't want to be obstinate.
2. I always step into a fight...another important quality in my work but it means I have limited options in those circumstances, and again not the best trait in relationships.
3. I think how you play the game; chess or life, is more important than winning. My rare resignations occured when I didn't like the way an opponent played because their play felt like bullying. They had no style or grace in the moves just brute force. Tedious.
It isn't that I didn't kinda know that I was the one who got tagged to handle the difficult people, or that I didn't just give up, or that I prefer playful people who know how to enjoy the moment. I didn't see how strongly embedded those three characteristics were. When I shared this new found insight with a close friend...she was utterly unimpressed. Of course, we were making animal sounds to go with the animal shaped pancakes were making....there were children........ somewhere in the building.
😕
Obsessed, possesed or whatever one calls it, it is still a blast to play, even if you realize as I do that you will never likely be a grandmaster, or even a master. Chess offers somethging for EVERY ONE, old or young, rich or poor. The pieces are always WAITING on that board, ready, set for another rum go at it. And if you lose, just brush your self off, rack 'em up, and go at it again. The only true losers, as in life, are the quitters.