Here's a nice little list of facts that I found about Einstein and his history and relation with Chess. Not sure how truthful any of it is, since it's just a Geocities site, (didn't even know Geocities was still around to tell you the truth), but it's interesting.
It seems like he didn't really like Chess because of how competitive it was.. But that's just what this site said.
Einstein


Einstein had an interest in chess. In 1936, he told a reporter that he played chess as a boy. In 1927 Einstein met Emanuel Lasker in Berlin, and they became good friends. Einstein called Lasker "a Renaissance man."
In 1931 a pamphlet was written called "One Hundred Authors Against Einstein." One of the authors was Emanuel Lasker. Lasker thought Einstein's theory of relativity was wrong and that the speed of light was limited due to particles in space. Lasker did not think there was a perfect vacuum.
Einstein is quoted as saying: "Chess grips its exponent, shackling the mind and brain so that the inner freedom and independence of even the strongest character cannot remain unaffected."

Einstein had an interest in chess. In 1936, he told a reporter that he played chess as a boy. In 1927 Einstein met Emanuel Lasker in Berlin, and they became good friends. Einstein called Lasker "a Renaissance man."
In 1931 a pamphlet was written called "One Hundred Authors Against Einstein." One of the authors was Emanuel Lasker. Lasker thought Einstein's theory of relativity was wrong and that the speed of light was limited due to particles in space. Lasker did not think there was a perfect vacuum.
Einstein is quoted as saying: "Chess grips its exponent, shackling the mind and brain so that the inner freedom and independence of even the strongest character cannot remain unaffected."
Very interesting.

Does anyone know if Einstein was fond of chess? Does anyone have any related anecdotes? And also...what about others that stand out for their brilliance...DaVinci, Picasso, Hemingway, Hawking, Mozart, etc....?
Einstein did play chess. There's a game he played agains Oppenheimer which he won. MatoJelic has a nice video on the game.

Einstein where no where close to Lasker, in chess.
Einstein was better in chess than Lasker in science
Einstein is quoted as saying: "Chess grips its exponent, shackling the mind and brain so that the inner freedom and independence of even the strongest character cannot remain unaffected."
The same can be said of theoretical physics. None of it has any application to human life and it never will. Messing with it with experiments such as the LHC could soon mean the end of us all. At least chess has more human element to it, theoretical physics is no more than a pile of resource-wasting bullshit.

Einstein is quoted as saying: "Chess grips its exponent, shackling the mind and brain so that the inner freedom and independence of even the strongest character cannot remain unaffected."
The same can be said of theoretical physics. None of it has any application to human life and it never will. Messing with it with experiments such as the LHC could soon mean the end of us all. At least chess has more human element to it, theoretical physics is no more than a pile of resource-wasting bullshit.
very trollish
Einstein is quoted as saying: "Chess grips its exponent, shackling the mind and brain so that the inner freedom and independence of even the strongest character cannot remain unaffected."
The same can be said of theoretical physics. None of it has any application to human life and it never will. Messing with it with experiments such as the LHC could soon mean the end of us all. At least chess has more human element to it, theoretical physics is no more than a pile of resource-wasting bullshit.
very trollish
It is absolutely true. Theoretical physics is the ultimate waste and stupidity of endeavours.

Einstein is quoted as saying: "Chess grips its exponent, shackling the mind and brain so that the inner freedom and independence of even the strongest character cannot remain unaffected."
The same can be said of theoretical physics. None of it has any application to human life and it never will. Messing with it with experiments such as the LHC could soon mean the end of us all. At least chess has more human element to it, theoretical physics is no more than a pile of resource-wasting bullshit.
very trollish
It is absolutely true. Theoretical physics is the ultimate waste and stupidity of endeavours.
What are you doing "wasting your time online" then? Thanks to theoretical physics we have computers like the one you used to post that trollish comment.

There are 2 types of scientists.
The brilliant wise one and the vulgar idiotic one. The latter will cut open a living man's brain to see how thinking occurs....Einstein is the former and he is outnumbered by the latter. That's why we have the LHC.

All I can say is...I'm glad this bozo closed his account years ago.
shut it, you muppet
Does anyone know if Einstein was fond of chess? Does anyone have any related anecdotes? And also...what about others that stand out for their brilliance...DaVinci, Picasso, Hemingway, Hawking, Mozart, etc....?