Why Chess is a Waste of Time and Intelligence – Yes

It is a very common misconception that chess is somehow connected to intelligence.  Society paints chess players as intellectual giants, towering high above the rest of us mere mortals when it comes to brilliance.  The reality is that mastery of the game of chess makes you no more of a mental giant than the mastery of any other game.

Chess is a game of calculations and mathematics; a sport which requires the use of a very specific portion of the brain.  The same can also be said for billiards, which is also a game that relies on similar mental processes.  Billiards, after all, is nothing more than mastery of angles and geometry.  So why do we consider people like Bobby Fischer or Garry Kasparov to be geniuses, but think of guys like Willie Mosconi or Efren Reyes as nothing more than pool sharks or hustlers?

Those who are exceptionally gifted at chess are not dissimilar to the idiot savants who are unusually adept at utilizing one particular area of the brain, resulting in people who can play the violin or piano by ear, yet who cannot tie their own shoes or prepare their own meals.  In fact, some might even say that since savantism is a developmental disorder, many so-called chess geniuses may be, in one way or another, mentally handicapped.

This point can be proven by the inability of many chess “grand masters” to conform to conventional society.  Take Mr. Fischer, for instance, many times arrested and an outspoken Anti-Semite and alleged pedophile, he spent the last years of his life evading the American legal system.  “The Greatest Chess Player of All Time” apparently wasn’t bright enough to have a valid US passport.

Let’s not forget about other Grand Masters who couldn’t get their own lives in order.  There’s Mikhail Tal, a World Champion, who died at the ripe old age of 55, his health ruined by alcoholism and drug addiction.  There’s Wilhelm Steinitz, another World Champion who died in a mental asylum and battled syphilis in his final years, along with several mental breakdowns.  The legendary Emanuel Lasker died as a pauper.  

Even those Grand Masters who did manage to stave off lunacy, sexual deviancy, and chemical dependency rarely made it to old age.  Capablanca died at age 53, as did Alekhine.  Petrosian died at age 55.  Zukertort was only 45 when he died.  Paul Morphy was 47.  Sarratt was also 47.  

Is chess a waste of time and intelligence?  The evidence, I’m afraid, speaks for itself. 

No need to take things to the extreme. Being a solid, decent player requires no lunacy or fanaticism. You just need to work reasonably hard, study a bit, and play chess for fun, but learn from your mistakes. 

Chess is a game and not a sport. And the same thing can be said about any game. Chess is not a waste of time, it makes us think and solve problems as we see them. It needs a lot of analytical thinking, tactics, memory (old games), hard work and studying.

So instead of having a wrong opinion about this game, why not play and appreciate it or leave it if you don't like it.

I play chess for fun and having fun is not a waste of time. It's better than hanging out at a bar getting smashed.

Chess is indeed a waste of intelligence and time, but at least it's the best way to waste intelligence and time 

chess is not a waste of time. what time am i wasting right now at 530 in the morning? also, if you think that, maybe you should quit chess. im guessing you dont want to die at 55. well guess what? my memory and calculation abilitys got a lot better since i took up chess (a year ago)

what about euey?

those were also old times. kasparov is still alive. sure, tal was sort of stupid, but also my favorite chess player of all time. really hyper-aggresive (like me)

did you just join chess.com to say negative things about chess?

I agree with most of what you are saying.

I don't get what chess has to do with Mathematics and billiards differs to chess, since it needs mechanical skills as well. What chess and billiards have in common, is pattern recognition, which is a huge part in both. But if you have pattern recognition in billiards and you can't shoot accurately with a super steady hand and excellent technique, you will get absolutely nowhere.

also, nothing is a waste of time, if you enjoy it

"This point [i.e., that chess players are actually not smart] can be proven by the inability of many of these 'Grand Masters' to conform to conventional society."  But who ever said that conforming to conventional society is a sign of intelligence?  Perhaps it wasn't an inability to conform, but a profound disinterest in doing so, which seems intelligent, given the nostrums of conventional society!

"Society paints chess players as intellectual giants..." I think that is wishful thinking on the part of chess players themselves. "Society paints chess players as quiet, nerdy introverts who enjoy contemplation and calculation, and who are quirky misfits" might be nearer the truth. Or that might be just me...

Chess helps you sleep.

When I need an escape from the real world, I play chess. To me, learning the tactics of chess and trying to predict what my opponent will do next is educational. That being said I truly do understand your post.

What was the source?

I found another website that has the same original post word for word; however, the website is known for its malware (blocked by antivirus/antimalware). So no link. 

Depends. If you enjoy it good. If hou don't there are better things to do. If there were a 24hr gym near me I'd probably never play chess again to be honest. Such a monotonous bore at times.

Go is the superior game..Chess is going to join Othello and Connect Four soon