Suicide over Chess? Why?

This man From England Ended his life over a game? Why? I could never imagine killing myself over Chess.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3160879/Champion-chess-player-killed-suffering-mood-swings-playing-matches.html

Wonder what his Fide Rating was. I am guessing something in between 2100-2300.

Some of his games here: http://chesstempo.com/gamedb/player/329700

Looks like he was an A class player , cant find him on the fide rating lists so he may not have had a fide rating ...

Why not? It's as good a reason as any.

That's tragic. I played Craig last year. RIP.

Throughout history, prominent chess players have suffered from emotional problems, often spending an almost limitless amount of time alone trying to improve in the intricate game.

Then the article mentions Fischer and a Latvian IM who jumped off a bridge as though that settled the issue.

It's unfortunate that the most famous chess player in history was Fischer but otherwise I don't think chess players are more prone to mental problems than other groups unless you count obsessiveness, which the article does.

However, the creative types -- writers, artists, musicians, actors, comedians -- really are more prone to mental illness and suicide.

i guess it's a little spooky that two of the best players in the world for their slices of time -- Fischer and Morphy -- were crippled by mental illness.

After those two, though, I can't think of any noteworthy examples. To be sure chess players fall prey to mental problems just as all people can. But the "crazy chess player" stereotype doesn't seem to have much to it.

I looked into Fischer at least and he wasn't ill at all. This idea about him is a fabrication based on his political beliefs. He was harrassed by the US right up to 2007.

So you can cut that bullshit here. I'm not down for lies being spread about people who can't talk back. 

Mental illness is a horrible, crippling thing to deal with. 

Lycine: I'm not interested in rehashing that discussion.

But I have looked into Fischer too and come to a different conclusion. He wasn't ga-ga crazy or anything, but he was unusually troubled and paranoid to a degree I would call mental illness.

@ipcress12, off topic, but I think there's something to the "crazy genius" thing. In a biological sense, I think something has to be just slightly off the normal in your brain for you to reach these extreme elevated levels in any field. There's a chance this mutation comes with some side effects.

LuftWaffles: I generally agree. I suppose it's somewhat true of chess, though aside from Fischer and Morphy, I'm hard-pressed to come up with examples.

Doing so with writers, artists, actors and musicians, however, is easy.

  I could EASILY see myself committing suicide over chess.  Not 'real me', but a hypothetical me.  A me that started playing chess as a child, spent countless years going over chess every day.  
  SLOWLY getting better, and better, and better, and better, year after year.  With nothing on my mind but chess, and then, simply because I didn't quite have the 'brain power'(and FOR NO OTHER reason), I just STALLED, I couldn't get any better, I was stuck, I had NOTHING ELSE to turn to.  
  Yeah, I could see myself(that version of myself)shooting myself in the head over that.  I'm not saying I would, I'm saying I could see it happening(I could see it crossing my mind, and maybe talking me into doing it).

  I guess I'm lucky that I'm an idiot(naturally), and I hardly ever study chess.  I have read a coupla chess books though(you hear that Carlsen? Watch yo back homie!).  And, played A LOT of games with A LOT of cool people, and showed some really cool people how to play.  
  I also enjoy the chess sets and pieces.  They are beautiful to me, and chess is a game that I am passionate about.  I love getting a little better each day.  It really expands my mind and helps 'keep me alive' a little.  I'm proud of where I am with chess, and I am content.  And, I feel sorry for the poor man who shot himself over chess, it truly is sad.  

Yes.  Everybody thinks they are going to be World Champion when they start.  After a few years reality sets in.

And, I feel sorry for the poor man who shot himself over chess, it truly is sad. 

KingBud: I've known an unusual number of people who committed suicide and I've worked on a suicide hotline.

The life force is strong. For the most part people don't kill themselves over X, they kill themselves because they are mentally ill and suffering terribly.

Mr. Woolcock sounds like a tragic, but typical case of manic-depression gone too far.

R.I.P.

@ipcress12: I agree 100%🐾

((( ipcress12 wrote:

Lycine: I'm not interested in rehashing that discussion.

But I have looked into Fischer too and come to a different conclusion. He wasn't ga-ga crazy or anything, but he was unusually troubled and paranoid to a degree I would call mental illness.)))

"unusually troubled and paranoid"

And why do you think that was. Rhetorical question. You are unbelievable. Hint: There was a very good reason. You can't have looked into it much. He was literally prevented from living on landmass by the western democracies persecution of him. Literally.