Yesterday at lunch, someone told me that I spend too much time playing and studying chess when I should be just having fun with it, to those of you that know me, I want to set the record straight-

I have rarely ever opened a chess book or studied very much, I just watch famous games and absorb what I see, I do own books, however they are references like the MCO 14 and basics books to review from... it never hurts to go back to basics after a loss. So William Knowles I tell you this- I am not good becuase of my study sessions, only my love for the game.

 And as we know, you can't have fun if it takes effort

What do they know about chess anyway?

lol, well 3 of them are my students and the rest like just like to play me and challenge what I know and quiz me which FYI is not as much as they think...lol

I like to study chess so I don't see how this conflicts with having fun.

However, being good at anything requires some dedication and I'm sure there will be moments of hard work for any good chess player. Still, looking back, the feeling of self- satisfaction is more than enough reward. I remember how I hated to run the mile in school but I felt great after it was done and I was happy not to have given up like a lot of other people. Even though I never broke six minutes, I was happy that I gave it all I had.

Does anyone agree that a good chess players should be allowed to be a little arrogant?

As long as you're good enough to back it up, go for it.

Most good players are to some extent. Look at Fischer and Kasparov, both had an arrogant overtone at times to the way they approached chess, But they backed it up with hard work and dedication too. You have to think your good before u become good. Just not so much so that u make an ass out of yourself. You should be proud of the effort's you have made and what u have achieved in something your passionate about. Anyone who say's your doing to much in chess, should be glad your not doing something worse with your life.

The appearance of arrogance can be a social faux pas. Keeping that in mind, if you really know how good/bad you are then it's not arrogant to display that assessment of your strength. Sometimes someone much weaker will complain that you seem to think that you are going to beat him; maybe he's the arrogant one for overestimating himself.

Well...It comes with the territory whether you like it or not.

I agree with the other poster, if you've got the skills, then you have a right to talk trash.

Sometimes it could actually be intimidation, which is a good tactic in itself, hehe.

I don't try to project arrogance with my manner or my mouth, but I play in an arrogant style--I like crushing people.  And I don't care how good a player is; if he tries to win the game by running off at the mouth I feel that I already have an advantage.  An arrogant player is a target, and you know what they say about "The bigger they are..."