Sorry.. I have a weird question... But i can't help wondering, after seeing like a thousand chess player pictures (specially men)... Why people from the lower ratings (>2200) dresses so badly and people from the higher ratings (>2600) dresses so great??

Have a hint?

Given your rating - are you dressing badly?

Ooh, maybe it's the other way around.  Maybe a button down shirt and tie will improve my rating! 

The great players are professionals, part of the job to look smart (photo's, prizegivings etc). Lower rated players look smart in the office (say) and relax when playing chess.

This begs lots of questions:

Why are sociopaths meticulous dressers?

Should there be some sort of dress codes (at least reasonably clean and unmalodorous --apologize for double negative) at live tournaments?  An opponent once made me stand and move back up a least 7-8 feet. 

Do those who dedicate their lives to chess, lose a sense of social self-consciousness?

One could go on.  Had a forum on the movie, The Luzhin Defense, where the hero lived in one suit of clothes but the number 2 player was a gorgeous dresser.

wow... this was a jocke, but I realize we can go serious here...

I pay great attention to the way I look. I think it's one of the many windows to my soul (appart from my eyes, the way I speak, etc)

So yes... I dress up ok, and I might get a better rating because of that... lol

I think everyone was basically joking, or at least being light hearted in their answers.

i've never played chess in a suit. maybe i should give it a try

I haven't played in a real tournament in over a year, but maybe next time I do, I'll wear a tuxedo and see what happens.

I dress great!

kurtgodden wrote:

I haven't played in a real tournament in over a year, but maybe next time I do, I'll wear a tuxedo and see what happens.

Oh,no... If you want to win a tournament, the best clothes aproach is the cool, hipermodern nerd style...

I'm in suits, heavily starched shirts (usually but not always white), and BOW ties daily. Not sure if it helps or not, but if I lose, at least I feel better about how I look!

Ok... so I'll put on my pedantic hat... but seen it a few times on the forum so just pointing out that "begs the question" does not mean "implies the question."

It's a logical fallacy where you take the point of contention and "sneak" (or re-state) it into a premise as if it's already proven.

For example "Do higher rated players always dress better?"

You could say: "It is true that higher rated players always dress better because it is only natural for individuals that win games against better and better opposition to want to dress better."