Again, why do we play chess?

If we can agree that there are attributes of human culture that "transcend the primal" it seems reasonable to conclude that someone had to be the first to do so.  This cultural "first mover" would have had to have lifted him or herself above our basic primal instincts in the absense of pre-existing culture.

This probably pre-dates what we'd consider to be humans, as other apes have been demonstrated to have cultures of their own (as have our pre-human anscestors) but I think the conclusion is still valid.

I play chess for ego, Keith. It makes me satisfied that i'm better than someone else at something.

The thing is with some of you guys; if a women picks you to mate with her on the basis that you are good at chess then she'll mate with a computer!!!

If I don't play....I feel all itchy inside, deep down in my soul somewhere....I begin to feel a little unstable, become really thirsty and crave smoked almonds.  I forget to shave and listen to Led Zeppelin all day.  I quit my job and travel across the country on Greyhound buses.....

That is why I play.

Yipes!  What could be worse than forgetting to listen to Led Zeppelin all day? 

--Cystem

That was a good'un, Csystem!

I play chess to impress the millions and millions of chicks that drool on my Target chess board!!!!!  I alos play with my shirt off and Kenny G in the background.

Yes, that's a soundly drawn conclusion.  Also, if a women is intersted in you because of your athletic ability she's also intrested in horses.  If a woman likes you because you're funny she's also into clowns.  Women who dig a guy with money really get turned on by insurance companies.

Because it burns thousands of calories, increases your heart rate to arobic levels and really works the glutes for hours on end 

I lost 20 pounds in the first week!!!!   Don't wait!  You've got to try chess now...it really works!!!

OK, sorry guys, couldn't resist  

 chess is the time for you to express yourself without physical contact .we need mental strength . i believe everyone is building their own  mental strength .not all have physical side .so chess is the game .

I love the game. It is an art, a sport, a pasttime, a social activity, an intellectual exercise, and so much more! But most of all, I just love playing. Not to the degree of Fischer, who only ever wanted to play chess, but to the point where I do not think I will ever stop playing.

I'm an addict on the worlds cheapest cocaine.

For personal enjoyment.

You guys are taking it too deep.  Why do we play Chess?  The answer is actually very simple.  It's a very good, enjoyable game. 

To understand the deeper meaning of why we play you would have to understand who created the game and why.  I don't think it matters to be honest.  Best not to question it. 

Besides, the answer is probably different for everyone.  Some people play to relax, some people play for shiny cups and ratings.  Some people play because they've always played and now realise they're actually very good at it.  The list of reasons would be enourmous. 

Personally, I find it challenging.  It's a fight.  It's like a kung fu fight between 2 masters.  The pieces are the natural weapons of the body.  The board is the body itself.  The legal moves are defined within your capabilites to use each weapon at your disposal.  You don't have to out-muscle your opponent, you have to out-think them.  Timing is critical.  There's a rich tapestry of similarities.   

Good answer DMX, I agree with much of what you said.

Because eating, sleeping and having sex just don't fill the hours in a day.

Because we can.

it improves memory

In reading all these comments I can't get over how many are influence by

'PRIMAL Mental Capacity" associated with "Evolution" ! What I get out of this is "GOD" is not involved in our Intellectual Makeup. We forget that GOD"S Word has some say on this matter of "Intellect" Man was made in GOD"S Image.When GOD made Man he gave him a MIND to think and reason,Albert Einstein was an avowed Atheist,but Later in his life as he was able reduce the Universe to a series of Mathematical formalas such as E=Mc2 he Noticed that all these amazine mathematical computations reveal that ther is a Great MIND out there who knows his Math.For instance,the BIG BANG as the Universe Began,A Japanese Physicist CalculatedHow the Universe is possible He said that for every 10 billion particals of Anti-Matter there is 10 billion particals of MATTER PLUS 1,Because of this Plus 1 the Universe is possible and not collapse on itself.This Calculation was awarded a NOBEL Prize,all this evidence points to "Intelligent Design". One GOOD reason we like to play CHESS  is because Chess is the most amazine Logic Game .

Why do we breath?

To enjoy chess, too?

*snickers*