Just wondering for those who live, breathe and basically have every other function of their life controlled by chess. Would they have time for a social life? as in GM's and other highly rated people on this site, or is chess thier social outlet?

Just a question really, because im someone who has chess as an intellectual outlet in my life, that due to my friend group is anything but, but i like it that way. Any answers would be interesting 

i don't think many of those people are on this site :) this site is for more social people i think.

I'm a chess playing hermit(for all intents and purposes).

Interesting question.

 

My guess would be it's like others that are at the top of their field in the arena of sports and games. They would need to be heavily dedicated - and perhaps exhibit obsessive personality characteristics.

In all likelyhood, social activity outside of chess would be arranged to suit their chess schedule.

It'd be interesting to hear from a chess master. 

 

All this is just guessing really. Don't know any masters' of chess 

 

you could always be friends with others who are obsessive with chess though you might have an issue of competitiveness.

Puc_7 wrote:

as in GM's and other highly rated people on this site, or is chess thier social outlet?

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 how high is highly rated for you? excess 2000?

Well im rated 1451 currently and 2000 is an unlikely aim for me. so yeah i would say 2000 is fairly accomplished.

Chess professionals may have a tendency to be a little quirky, but they will have friends just like anyone else. There of course are the Bobby Fischers of the world who get consumed by chess, but the majority of chess players are just like any other professional, and have a social life outside of work. With the way you phrased your question, I would point out that anyone who lives and breathes a certain activity in their lives would likely have a limited social life, just due to time constraints, but note that this is not just confined to chess. When I was younger, I used to play roller hockey for four to five hours a day, so it really halted my social life, in a general sense, but my social relations within that group were fine. Hockey, like chess, is a social opportunity in and of itself, because there are multiple participants (except for intense recluded book/computer study). To me, social opportunities are really decided by the temperment of the individual, because in each activity lay the seed of potential interaction. The people who become obsessed and reclusive may just have social problems.

On a related note, I'll mention that I tend to play/study chess less when I have a girlfriend. As with anything in life, it's a balancing act.

 

--Fromper