Pretty much anyone can learn to play chess. It is not an intelligence test but of course it helps if you are smart as you will most likely pick up the tactics and patterns more easily.
Is chess still mostly played by educated or clever people?

Not neccesarily. While Magnus Carlsen has a genius IQ (190)
Thanks for letting me know. I stand corrected. I shouldn't have trusted Google.
online chess at lower levels are most certainly bunch of idiots using engines pretending to be smart, thats a face, kramnik can confirm

Yap yap. If you can accuse me of faking games, then I can also accuse YOU of faking games. You’re not special enough for my attention so that I would photoshop screenshots of our chat history to paint you in a bad light (Which you are doing to yourself). You are not the center of the universe Janko, honestly, you’re less important than a garbage bag
Well people doesn't need to be smart or educated I am just a 10 year old kid and can play great