Does Chess Make You Dumber?

You're allocating your mental resources and time towards games of chess and brilliant chess.com forums versus other intellectual pursuits. Given the notion of zero-sum mind games, I don't see any other outcome except chess making people dumber.

Well, it looks like we're all in agreement on this point! Usually even the smallest, pettiest of things can get chess players riled up. But not this. I'm proud to have found a point of no contention among chess players. I believe this can be the start to world peace. I am prowd. :,)

I am proud to point out that prow'd mean "pointy in front".

If your arguement is correct, then every pursuit makes you dumber.  Of course, every bit of knowledge I accumulate makes me smarter, or if I forget something, keeps me at the same intellegence level.  Only the lack of challenging yourself, and some degenerative disease, would make you dumber.

Chess is good for the brain.

http://www.quadcitychess.com/benefits_of_chess.html

And here I thought that world peace was possible. I suppose this proves that chess has, indeed, made me dumber. Looking at the chess.com forums also seems to, at least anecdotally, confirm my hypothesis that chess can create heavily slobbering, illiterate morons like myself.

Still accurate, more or less so depending on the time of day and mood I'm in.

Judging by the calibre of people on chess.com, definitely

indubitably.

No need to create this thread, as the answer was obvious.

By having created this thread and thus answered my own question, haven't I proven it's necessity? Think about it.

but what if only smart people have answered so far ?

What if they think they're smart but they're just delusional?

so it doesn't matter what you are thinking about ? ok i totally take back my previous post.

Chess does not make people dumber. Lazier, yes for those who spends too much time on chess.

How about those who play chess because they're lazy? Don't they then become lazier and dumber because they're not applying themselves (case in point, our lovely OP)?

If chess does makes people dumber, chess.com should call itself dummies.com. And the WCC is the dumbest person 😎

chess makes intelligent people less intelligent and dumb people dumber, but it doesn't make you dumb per se unless you are borderline, lets say it's got it's disadvantages.