Am I addicted to Chess?

If you want to deal with the addiction, simply create a time slot where you want to play the game. Instead of opening up chess site constantly every time you are at the comp.

But of course, this is if you want to keep your girlfriend--And for some, like my roommate, you can keep your girlfriend AND constantly play chess.com while she's trying to talk to you on the phone (but that seems like such a hard task!). If you don't want to keep, by all means, it's a healthy addiction and it only makes you smarter (let's hope chess logic converts to real-life logic here).

I

I am seriously addicted

Whats more important right now, chess or your girlfriend?

Whats more important, finishing your schooling or chess? Schooling will likely lead you toward a career and it alone costs a great deal of money. Education is a beautiful thing, and I think it is rather repugnant to let it go to waste.

You have prioritize your life. If chess is more important than your relationships and education, then go live under a bridge and play chess. But if its not, grow up and do what you need to do. Its possible to take of the important things in life and still play a great deal of chess. Sacrifice is a part of life. So sacrifice a little bit of chess playing for the greater good. It will serve you well in the long run. I can promise you that.

This is a hobby,which is addictive,I have a life other than here,but can not go more 36 hours without a game.

slimccheffy and others on this thread have a problem which they've been big enough to share with the chess.com community. And I think it's struck a chord with many of us here on the site. Ultimately, we have to take personal responsibility for our own pathetic lack of self-control and for the shattered lives of those around us. I accept that.

But it makes me sad to think that while our houses are being sold out from under us - and while our wives are busy balling the pool-cleaner - Erik and his chess.com minions are kicking back on their private boats sipping Santana champ. When you try to sleep at night, Erik, I want you to think of this: your yachts, your kids' fancy schools, your house in Cape Cod, were paid for with the tears of chess.com members.

I am strongly addicted, can't resist more than 24 straight hours( I play on the plane too) without chess. I log in normally more than 5 times a day to see if it's my move and I use all my free time playing chess. When in my house there's too much noise to play I play in the garden or in bathroom and even without a board I remember the position I was thinking at and continue.As other said too I take a board at school and just everywere else I go....

I fell like I'm not playing chess, chess is playing with me.

Well if you think that is bad I have been known to snap at people when I am playing chess because they are causing a distraction LOL (not my kids mind they mean more than anything)

But yeah its crazy how chess and more so chess.com grips you by the throat and REALLY doesn't let go lol

I doubt anyone here is more a chess addict than me , and I have been addicted since about 1973.

When I was younger I would want to play in a tourney so bad, but didnt have enough money for the entry fee and 2 nights in a hotel that I have slept in the car in empty parking lots before. I have also taken a bus to a tournament because I didnt have a reliable car and didnt know anyone else going that I could ride with...... I have a friend from Alabama that is known to take a sleeping bag to tournaments and ask friends there to let him sleep on their hotel room floor when he didnt have money for the hotel...... I lost at least one job due to my chess addiction and my first marriage ended in divorce and chess was a BIG problem in our relationship.

After that I got smart....... no, I didnt give up chess , I found a woman just as nuts about the game as me, and married her !   LOL 

 I try to keep chess under control and not let it ruin relationships with people. It is by no means easy, but it has to be done. Cannot let a habit rule your life.

yes i am!

Clearly by the answers above chess is addictive. But the secret of life is variety. Don't let the game consume you, otherwise you risk relationships, careers and untold opportunities, and what have you benefited for this cost? Chess can be the opium of the mind. 

LOL Reb I wasn't even born then

I have always been an extremist ( addict ) in whatever caught my interest at the time. Over the years it has been different things : martial arts, hunting, fishing, swimming, cycling, archery, running and chess. Chess outlasted all the others and I eventually gave the others up ....... because of chess I have traveled more than I would have and have met people from all walks of life and made many new friends, a few of them becoming very close friends. I have often regretted giving up some of my past interests/hobbies and so, plan to never quit chess. My wife plays chess , as well as both of my sons, life is good. 

When my girl friend said one day,'It's either chess or me',I took the ring back(going steady ring)and she called me the next day and I eventually married her.I play chess more than when I was single.She doesn't mind but I always put the family ahead of chess.

Another addiction story.I believe it was 1962 in Fitchburg,MA I attented a tournament.Well during the fourth round a certain player from CA was playing John Curdo(longtime NE champ and John lost in 30+ moves!!! I was shocked!I checked out this player from CA in round 5 and noticed that he wore slippers,smoked a pipe and the pipe tobacco was Rum & Maple.The CA player won the tourney and when me and a couple of friends were going over an ending we were using Fine's book on the endgame.The CA player said that he had a better source on the endgame and would get it.He returned with the 3 volumes of Cheron's book on the endgame and helped us out!In no time we found out that the player was IM William Addison!

BTW-I had a pipe,bought Rum&Maple tobacco and wore slippers to a tournament but strange to say I didn't play like IM Addison.Guess I was addicted,still am!

I think that live chess (especially quick games) is an addiction in class of its own. After you play all night under so much stress, you body will start to give in. At that point if you continue playing anyway, that's it - you are a crackhead!

 :)