But me and my friend were quite unsure about entering the chess club, incase we were looked at by these women as a pair of nerds.
So you unsure about having fun at the risk of 3 people who you will never talk to, will never remember you, and will never see you again, thinking bad of you?
We used to have an informal club that met in a bar on Friday nights. There was dim lighting, tons of smokers, loud music, foxy babes, rednecks, rockers, the whole nine yards. We did get some strange looks, especially playing blitz, but nobody seemed to mind, until around 11PM when we were asked (politely) by the management to free up the tables, which was fine, for we were about done anyway. I loved it; we were out in public, nobody was self-conscious, and nobody treated us like freaks. Besides, it was great training for tournaments ala Botvinnik--if you can focus well under those conditions, a tournament is a piece of cake. My opinion is, if you act like it's weird to play chess, people will think you are weird.
Chess isn't looked down upon nearly as much as Yugioh, or anime in general.
We used to have an informal club that met in a bar on Friday nights. There was dim lighting, tons of smokers, loud music, foxy babes, rednecks, rockers, the whole nine yards. We did get some strange looks, especially playing blitz, but nobody seemed to mind, until around 11PM when we were asked (politely) by the management to free up the tables, which was fine, for we were about done anyway. I loved it; we were out in public, nobody was self-conscious, and nobody treated us like freaks. Besides, it was great training for tournaments ala Botvinnik--I you can focus well under those conditions, a tournament is a piece of cake. My opinion is, if you act like it's weird to play chess, people will think you are weird.
I've never played OTB, but I think most of this "People think chess players are freaks." nonsense is a figment of the chess players imagination.
I think Skwerly wrote a wonderfully honest and open-minded post, even if it was somewhat derogatory to the fine sport of binge-drinking
hehe, thanks! and by the way, i can drink with the best of em, too. i have NO problem downing cold ones all night with the boys. sometimes i even get hammered and play chess, but that's a whole other post.
but really, i think we owe it to ourselves to do what we want, with whomever we want, when we want (or can). chess isn't about image, so why would we worry so much about it when we have a chess set in our hands? now, if you bring the set into a disco or a strip club or something then yea, mental help is in your future. but anywhere else? play on!
But me and my friend were quite unsure about entering the chess club, incase we were looked at by these women as a pair of nerds.
So you unsure about having fun at the risk of 3 people who you will never talk to, will never remember you, and will never see you again, thinking bad of you?
Too right. Not sure about you my friend, but i've got a lot of self respect.
I play blitz with friends in pubs and bars frequently. It's the closest I'm ever going to get to playing live in front of an audience - people (of both genders) do take an interest and come over to watch. If people are not interested then they don't pay any attention. I've never had any abuse or negative comments.
Sometimes even get challenged to play for money by novices who think they are the best player in the world, which is a nice easy way to make come cash!
I play blitz with friends in pubs and bars frequently. It's the closest I'm ever going to get to playing live in front of an audience - people (of both genders) do take an interest and come over to watch. If people are not interested then they don't pay any attention. I've never had any abuse or negative comments.
Sometimes even get challenged to play for money by novices who think they are the best player in the world, which is a nice easy way to make come cash!
i think the poster was just kidding anyway. i never saw anyone in my life that called anyone nerd because of playing chess, not even in school. well actually every thinking person gives respect to anyone that does something that involves your brain. Only people who do word quizes in newspapers are ridicilous for me, as well as soduku, but besides that there is nothing i dont respect that requires thinking.
actually in many cultures, especially asia people even get respect for being good in chess.
err
Chess is a wonderful game,I play and i am not that good, but thats not the point! I find that most people respect you and enjoy the fact that i play chess and i am noway a nerd,more people would play this game if they tried to learn it! But their lost is our gain! I played in 3 tournaments last year and had a ball! I was amazed at the large number of players who turned out! All kind of folks play from young kids to graybeards and everyone seemed to enjoy it! I dont care what others think i play the game because i enjoy it!
Chess embarrassing ? No .. this is embarrassing :
Are you kidding?; That's awesome!
Indeed! I love how you think he's gonna slip and fall, but only does so after hitting the board again... and flipping again :)
no, it is not embarrasing.
Yeah, it is 
In the pub where my local club plays, everyone seems very respectful, almost reverent, when they see chess players ... especially if a tournament is held and the extra room is reserved for that, they would peek through the glass door like "look, oh my god, they're playing CHESS inside there ..." :)
Verry Good