Hey guys, I'm always wondering how much people have devoted their lives to Chess. My friend has been playing Chess all his life, and he encourages it to Juniors by making bets and creating scholarships.

Liking chess, to me, is just like playing Halo, or shooting hoops for fun, nothing serious, just take it easy, play it when you want to, it's not THAT important, but you like it, and play it often.

Loving chess, is like, you really want to get good, to get in MLG, or to get in the NBA/NCAA, you study chess a lot, and play in lots of tournaments. You've set goals for yourself and achieved them, your chess is high priority, and you always think about things that relate to it.

Personally, I think I used to "like" chess, played in tournaments frequently, but never used my time to study it, or really want to. But I had a lesson with a future GM yesterday, and I was really motivated to get better, since there's this guy in the club that tells me that an NM rating by the end of 2009 is impossible. It really got me going, and I'm studying chess more frequently, and devoting my life to it. =)

How about you guys? Share your ratings, where ever you live, tournament experiences, how much you're dedicated, or why you like it!

Hope to hear your responses.

I like it and I love it, i cant play or study so much due my time, thats the reason, but I have my boards and clocks, I try to teach sometimes, and help other.

its a great sport!!

I'm in between. I play chess as ahobby and want to get good at it. In my life, I want to get a rating of 1600-1800 or so, but I wouldn't be disapointed if I didn't become a grandmaster. Still, chess is my favorite game.

Like most players, a lot of chess is way out of my league. Opening theory is too much for me after a few minutes, endgame techniques baffle me, my vision for tactics and my understanding of positional concepts are both feeble and predictable, etc, etc (apart from that I'm pretty good!). Thus I don't feel as if I'm in a position to LOVE chess, it's quite alien to me really. Strangely I am extremely passionate about chess and determined to dedicate a great deal of time to it. So there you have it; I'm captivated by the beautiful game but wont say I love it. Maybe I'm just in denial, not admitting the addiction...

I like chess, I think if I loved it there would be problems.

Well, I'm 46 years old and have been playing since I was about 5.  I'd have to say that I love it, but that at times my ardour for it cools.  I'm a musician by profession, both teaching and performing.  I've noticed that throughout my life that my chess activity is always balancing against how much I'm playing/performing music. I love music and it comes first, but when I'm not playing as much my interest in chess starts to blossom.  When I'm gigging a lot then I play almost no chess at all.  I've read lots of books, theory, openings, middle game, etc... some I've learned a lot from, but most are more like dramas for me.  There's something about the dramatic devolpment of a chess game, there's a story there with twists and turns and surprises that keeps me involved.  I think that's why I play less chess when I'm performing because Jazz is very much the same way...I only need one or the other to nourish that part of my mind...

" I'd have to say that I love it, but that at times my ardour for it cools."

Yes, what he said.

I love it, but don't want to marry it.

 Yeah, like billiards and poker.  Oh yeah, and I forgot about gambling. 

im only a beginner but its quite fun

Somewhere in between for me.... and it fluctuates between like it and really like it (can't say love it by your definition).

There are so many levels of interest.  I'd say I love it, but I am not obsessed with it.  I want to get as good as I can, but at times, I get quite frustrated with my shortcomings as a good chessplayer, get disheartened and then I'd say I only like it.  Then I play a brilliant enjoyable game with lots of tactic and I find something in it and win... then I am immediately back to "love it" again!

I think I am in love with the beauty of chess... the tactical brilliance, the things you find in the tactics trainer... more than the game of chess itself.  All too often I play and don't enjoy the game because it's a boring, uneventful draw.... for which I blame only myself because of my limited opening repertoire, most of which contain drawish lines.

The real question is;
Why do you play chess?

Because I love to win.

I want to become a titled player and I'm willing to put in a lot of effort.

there is no doubt  i love this game hav'ent played a lot in the pass few years now that i'm retired i can play all i want not good yet  but working on it [under 1200]  soooooo look out 

I have a very strict love/hate relationship with it.

Good to see many responses. I guess I didn't really define loving chess. For me, it's just devoting time to it, liking the game itself, and putting a lot of effort to study it. =)

Happy Canada Day!