Why do we like chess?

If you ask almost anyone on chess.com why they like chess, you will get many different answers. Some say they like that it is competitive, and others don't find that so interesting.  Some say they do it just for fun, and others for a mental exercise. Either way, not many people will have a problem with the statement that chess is fun.

But, let's think about someone else. Someone who I guarantee is in your life somewhere. That's right, I'm talking about your friend who doesn't play chess. They just don't get it, do they? Here's a few  questions: are you the one who's wrong about chess? Is your friend right? And most importantly, why don't they like chess?

This may all seem very disconnected, and random. But it's all very important. Because today, we're going to be looking at why some people think chess is fun, and others don't.

To find out why people don't think an activity is "fun", first we must find what fun really means. So to do that, we must see inside the brain of a human that's having fun. Fortunately, doctors and scientists have done this part for us. There are four chemicals that make humans happy: Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins. These are commonly referred to as D.O.S.E.

Dopamine is a chemical in your brain that is released when you complete a small task. Let's say somebody liked your post on Instagram. You feel a little bit of happiness from being recognized. That's dopamine. The overall purpose of dopamine is to help you get to a larger goal. The closer you get, the more dopamine is released, giving you a sense of accomplishment.

However, dopamine comes and goes very fast, leaving you wanting more. Now, relating to chess, you get a little dopamine whenever you play a nice move or take your opponent's piece. It's all building you up to that larger goal, checkmate. In fact, a strategy I often take up is to imagine that every move you play is a little win. This gives you plenty of dopamine encouragement.

Oxytocin is that feeling when someone gives you a hug. It's the main reason why humans are so social, because it makes you happy! And not just for a short amount of time, like dopamine. No, oxytocin is known for giving people lasting feelings of safety and calm. It's also been proven that large amounts of oxytocin are good for your immune system.

Though it might not seem like it, oxytocin plays a big role in chess, too. Think about it, how many times have you checked the forums to discuss something? How many times have you laughed with your chess-playing friends about a game you saw? Chess makes people into a community, over mutual understanding. So, is chess good for your immune system? Yes. 

Serotonin is also a social chemical, but not in the same way. It gives us pride, loyalty, and status. When you are a leader or win an award, you feel happy. That's serotonin doing its job. The most amazing thing, though, is that people with serotonin also make the people around them happy. So if your best friend's team wins a basketball game, you are happy as well.

Obviously, serotonin has a big role in chess. Winning a chess tournament gives you the same feeling as winning a soccer game, or any other sport. But there's also another way it helps you out. When you command chess pieces, you feel the same as becoming a leader, another serotonin trigger.

The final happiness chemicals in your brain are endorphins. Basically, they make you happy when you feel pain. Weird, right? The point of them are so your ancestors could fight wild animals and feel good after. But today, they are the reason most people play sports. They are also why taking a cold shower feels good in the morning.

Endorphins in chess are rarer than all the other chemicals. They do show up, though, when you are deep in calculation. They push you to keep going, and find the best move. When you play a move after a lot of calculation, you may feel a little bit happy. That's endorphins, getting rid of the excruciating pain your mind is in.

So, how does this relate to what we said at the beginning? Well, chess does have all the ingredients for a fun game. But all these feelings have certain strings attached to them. To feel dopamine, you must play a good move. To have oxytocin, you have to be part of a community. To understand serotonin, you actually have to win. And to feel endorphins you must go into deep calculation.

So your friend who doesn't like chess is probably just not yet at the point where he can acquire these things. Fortunately, I have included an easy list of tips to help you get your friends there quicker. Scientifically proven!

1. Enroll your friend in a chess club with players of their skill level.

2. Make sure your friend plays a lot of people, not just you.

3. Congratulate them when they play well, and never laugh at their moves.

4. Put them in tournaments, specifically with a rating cap.

5. Teach them to think for a longer amount of time.

6. Buy them books.

7. Make sure they understand which moves are good and bad. That way they'll feel great when they play a good move!

8. Get them chess.com, or any other chess website.

9. Let them play against players below their skill level.

10. Let them stop if they're still not having fun. 

Most importantly, remember that for some people, chess just isn't their thing. That's not your fault or anyone else's. Thank you for reading this. Bye!