Is Chess really a waste of time?

Chess is probably the most educative game ever, but even if it wasn't, the point of the article is sensless. Would you think that all soccer supporters should spend their effort in learning to sing instead of chanting for their team? 

On the other hand saying that the effort people put in chess could be use for something else has no point because: 1 my life is mine, not yours. So I follow what I like and I'm interested on, not you. 2. It's more a waste of time to spend life in something we don't care. We end up hating it, and noone earns anything from it, because I'll do it bad.  I simply don't care, I have no motivation in doing something I don't care. The pleasure of playing a good chess game has a value. Oscar Wilde used to said: "They know the price of everything but the value of nothing."

In this world we use the best brain in Wall Street to elaboratie derivative, instead of searching a solution for human problems. And this explain many things of the world today.  But I still have to read an article about it.

Educative of what exactly?  There are few, if any, practical applications.

it teaches you to learn from your experience and your mistakes. It teaches you to think objectively and indipendent. It teaches you to be patient. It teaches you to think on a long term goals. Many times in my life I use chess as an example, starting my explanations with these words: "It's like when you play chess....."

It, certainly, teaches you that you suck at chess.

It's meta-educational but then, isn't everything?

By the way, FakePlasticPlayer, speaking of meta-educational I might buy the planning and setting of long term goals argument if you hadn't lost me at "It teaches you to learn..."

Chess is not a waste of time, however you can waste your time playing chess.

Oh my GOD! He's gone again! After stating to me, "It will NEVER happen again.

"A moment enjoyed is never wasted."

Nuff said.

Back in the stone ages, a chess player supposedly made the following retort when told that chess was a waste of time:  There are two significant events in your life, your birth and your death.  In between, you have to find ways to waste time.

Thumbs up. Don't ever say chess is a waste of time!!! It helps you think better and makes you quicker!!! I had I problem with timing right but now after playing chess, I got inspired to do things on time more!!!

Chess can be addictive, there is the danger of playing/studying too much chess. It can lead to the neglect of other pursuits necessary to sustain ones survival in this world. For me it is a challenge through study and play to improve not having played for many years. I think it is possible and should lead to greater enjoyment and appreciation of the game. Playing is a great source of affordable entertainment. In terms of recreation it is superior to most competitive sports, take golf for instance. One could argue all competitive sport is a waste of time. In terms of education I believe it teaches skill in problem solving. Socially it is beneficial. One can meet other people outside ones sphere of work, people of all ages, it makes life more enjoyable.

I think this thread is pointless until we don't make it clear what's the meaning of wasting time, and what is, instead, time well spent.

not sure if this is a joke chess can't be a waste of time if it is enjoyed just like when you watch television or play video games or even sports the only true waste of time there really would be is if you just stand in one spot and no nothing or if you do something that does not benefit you in any way

Chapeau!

Similarly, I read a thought provoking comment in Hacker news recently:

I've been playing chess since childhood. These days I play on and off exclusively through Fritz using their online service, of which I've been a member since inception. I have also taught my kids to play chess. They have entered local tournaments starting at age six and have nearly always come out on top. They usually have to play one or two divisions above their age grade due to the skills they have developed.

And yet, after a couple of years of them playing tournaments and taking classes from our local master I pull them out of the entire thing and only allow them to play an occasional tournament here and there for fun. Why?

Because playing lots of chess only makes you good at playing chess. Yes, you learn deep concentration, situational analysis, etc. However, these skills do not translate linearly to other activities.

Playing blitz chess does not make you better at avoiding an accident on the freeway when things get out of hand. In other words, you don't become some kind of a super-fast general-purpose thinker. You simply become really good at fast chess.

The same is true of "traditional" slow chess. Again, the skills you learn seem to be focused around the game and very little of it translates to the outside world.

There are teachings that do, for example, one mantra I repeat to my kids while learning chess and try to reinforce in other activities is: "Is there a better move?".

The other problem with chess study is the fact that in order to move past a certain level you have to become a human chess database. I personally detest that paradigm shift in the game. Yes, you have to know how to analyze the board and evaluate positions, of course you do. However, without committing to memory a huge library of openings, end games and even mid-game strategies (and specific move sequences) you simply can't get past certain thresholds. This, from my perspective, is an absolute waste of time, talent and effort that no kid should be subjected to.

Please consider this to be my opinion and only that. Don't be offended if your position is diametrically opposite mine. It's OK to disagree. Life goes on.

The first couple of years of learning chess can be fantastic if, and only if, they are used as a conduit for learning important lessons. For example, teaching kids to deal with loosing can be a part of this. Teaching them to take a situation apart to examine the pieces is critical in nearly every engineering discipline. If you don't take the time to make these connections while teaching chess then all you are doing is teaching chess. In other words, the connections will not be magically constructed by your kid simply because they can now check-mate another kid.

What should kids have a really good grasp of? Lots of things, but if I had to name three it would be Mathematics, Physics and Programming.

Math gives you the most fundamental toolset you'll need for just about everything, from balancing your checkbook to building a rocket. Very important.

Physics connects math to the real world. If taught correctly kids get a real "touch-and-feel" sense of how things work and why.

Programming, again, if taught correctly, teaches, at the most fundamental level, about problem solving. How do you take a seemingly huge problem, break it into a bunch of little components and methodically solve each one of them. And it can teach quick real-world problem analysis as well.For example, I've done things like play "if-else-then" games with my older kid where we break down the things that could happen if you place a glass too close to the edge of the table.

Not such a stupid question.  Many folk do regard chess as a waste of time.  Compared to what, that is the question?

I wasting time such a bad thing?

Chess improves your critical thinking and problem solving skills, and I'm only naming the 2 obvious things.

(unless you're just playing blitz)

I've only been playing chess for a month and I've already learned a lot from it, applying what I've learned into my daily life.

I guess it just depends on the person.

• Chess serves no real purpose outside itself
• Chess uses time and effort, and displaces other activities which might be better than it in some ways
• Chess is inherently unconstructive. While the theory can be intellectual and academic in nature (though inherently unimportant), the purpose is fundamentally to defeat the opponent. It is possible that chess causes unconstructive patterns of thought by a process analagous to transference. i.e. in chess you are fighting alone against an opponent, so other things can seem like that even if they are not, which can be unhelpful. Of course, there are ways in which this could be considered a pro - perhaps in certain areas like business the fighting aspect of chess could be well-channeled. [This point is based both on my own experience and what I have observed in others]
• Very few chess players can earn money from chess, especially with the large number of GMs in the world these days. Professional chess has very limited income streams from non-participants. Of course this is not a con at all to most people, who play chess as a hobby and have no interest in chess as a career
• While some types of chess are cheap, playing in frequent OTB tournaments is expensive and takes a lot of time, with a large impact on the rest of one's life.
• Chess can be obsessive, which can be damaging to other areas of life.

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1st point:any profession(either doctor/engineer) or hobbies(lyk cricket/chess) serves no real purpose outside itself.being an engineer u can't think like a doctor.or by playing cricket u can only be an athelete and nt a puzzle solver.

2nd point:nothing can be done without using time or effort.u want to do smething without using them both.i think u should get some sleep.but one problem.that too requires time

3rd point:chess and unconstructive patterns.wowww.In every profession,even in education itself,  the purpose would be to defeat the opponent.competition is everywhere.

4th point:no comments

5th point: playing OTB in india are cheap & what impact are u talking about

6th point:Chess can be obsessive. i think u really need to know about yourself and how to control yourself

orionBR wrote "Because playing lots of chess only makes you good at playing chess. Yes, you learn deep concentration, situational analysis, etc. However, these skills do not translate linearly to other activities."

hey,many of my frnds who played chess from childhood are better placed in jadavpur university and shibpur university.i think u are familiar with these names.am nt saying,they are better placed becoz of chess.bt one think u hv to admit, u can learn how to concentrate which will help u in studies. and Chess doesnot make one intelligent ,bt will give different ideas to solve