Has Chess Lost Its Value?

Just think. What was it that made something important to you, something that you felt genuinely changed you? Was it watching numbers go up and down, left and right? I didn't think so. The fact is, numbers simply ruin everything. Take mathematics, for example. Absolutely destroyed. Debating politics. Every argument is just a statistic, no morals involved. Literature. The eloquency of the greats reduced to articles on the "significance" of random integers. Now, the numbers have come to destroy chess. Essentially, numbers take away the component of analysis and thought and turn it into something that just provides an argument to you. No doubt you will say that analysis is used in conjunction with the numbers of which I speak– but that is a weak argument, for the best analysis is that which comes from purely one's self, unbiased and pure. How is this relevant to chess? Well, just think to yourself how many times you decided not to play an opening or maybe a creative move because of those numbers you saw on your fancy chess engine, whether it be the Swordfish or the Alphahero, rather than your own analysis. Now, of course you will argue that you look for the reason once you see the numbers. But this, too, is useless, for you have relied on the engine to find that there is a "mistake", and then searched it out yourself. The culture of computer use is the worst thing that happened to chess, and it has ruined it for those who are true originals and make moves from the mind, for the only way to compete with the computer-huggers is by becoming one yourself. Share your thoughts, readers, for I am sure that many will oppose, but am hopeful that some will agree.

Who cares if the computer deems one move to be better than your move because it evaluated your move at 3 centipawns less than it's move? What does that really mean to most of us human players? Even if it thinks your move is worse because it has a tactic planned 30 moves from now, doesn't mean you or any human you encounter will see the same value in that move.

What really matters with the computer analysis of chess is getting a quick way to see where it thinks you really screwed up so you can see if you missed something you should have seen or not.

Even if the computer thinks me trading away my queen for a rook to simplify the board down into a won endgame was a mistake or a blunder, it doesn't mean that the move didn't make sense as a human.

Really you need to think of the computer era of chess as a tool to help you see things quicker rather than some new age where we are all running around making weird moves because it's worth 5% more of a pawn than another.

Computers have taken the art and romance out of chess. Personally, I find that regrettable. There will be no more game collections to treasure or characters to enjoy . All that counts now is results. If that is your thing, then fine.

Players in bygone times didn't care about results? And Mr Carlsen does have character!

 

I personally think there is always a surprise move that can change the outcome at anytime.. even in this simple board game that has survived 1000's of years. There is NO other game like it.. even AI won't figure it out should it become sentient .........PERIOD

more pls

Chess hasn't lost its value to me. I do cut back on a lot of useless things to dedicate more time to studying chess.

 

As for the general public goes, I'm not sure. Maybe chess will increase in popularity, maybe its popularity will decline - I'm not sure. But for me personally, it doesn't matter that much. I will continue to learn more about the game. And being a MGTOW helps a lot (if you don't know what MGTOW is, don't ask, check out Terrence Popp's YouTube channel for laughs and enlightenment).

not chess but for chess.com yes a bit

Chess can be a valuable tool for enabling  clear, logical  thinking. Not to  mention providing a  brain challenge which can last  a lifetime. That goes  for  raging feminists as well as MGTOWs. Enjoy folks!

Chess has always attracted a mixed bag.  There are decent honorable types who play for the joy of the game.  There are (of course) the cheaters-How can you think you have won anything, learned anything, if you cheated to get there? And, there are the machines.  I know, I know, but personally, I despise them.  I want humans to find that great move, not some number crunching machine.  I want to play a lesser game (that is all mine).  We have centuries (maybe) can't we do this one thing as humans?  

statistics are awesome! Plus sprinkle some creativity...

I like computers. They are always available, don’t cheat, don’t complain when I don’t resign, don’t freak out about rematches, are willing to play whatever opening I want, are happy to do drills with me, ...

Interestink. Hey buddddddy who is so funny you don't really seem that sad lol. 

I would hate to start disliking chess; everything I do here I try to preserve my love of it first and foremost. Funny how it took me so long to find this love. Very weird! I'm nearly old and everything. But the slickness of this site probably helps, with the links to twitch and things ... it's one of the best graphically designed and yet low resource hungry sites I've ever seen. It's what discord should have been like.

To lose the love I have for chess right now and the styles of it and the timelessness, the clinks and the clunks and the tactics etc... would be like when Daphne thought she'd lost Cupid, for me. 

I'd rather be crap at chess all my life than have it become lifeless and some kind of purgatory. I've been great at some sports / some mental pursuits and it's overrated if you are never satisfied. I think that's one reason I love this so much is because I am so rubbish at it therefore there is so much to learn, it's like being a kid agin.

*Virtually hugs your mindset* you got it sussed! as we say down here. Triple thumbs up. If you refuse to let the magic die for you, it won't. Wu Wei and all that.

I was seaching for what the analysis bars mean when you play a game on here. I guess it is analyzed by swordfish engine. I assume a "higher bar" means a better move - just trying to clarify.

Ratings help motivate me to be better

At first I used to envy people who played chess (I still do), because I saw them as intelligence.I valued chess as something I could never learn because at first, I thought it was complex. Even now I value chess as an accomplishment that has to describe me. For me I will always value chess...that´s why I read a chess wiki and learnt from friends.