Newbie Question: Is Chess Worth Time, Study, Effort?

Although I have played chess for some time, I have never really studied or put much effort into it in my "younger" days.  I now have a family and recently got back into chess.  I find myself drawn to it, perhaps I have more patience now.

I am looking for some encouragement and thoughts as to how why you find the time, effort, and study worthwhile and rewarding.  I have read recent articles saying chess is just a big math problem that computers have solved.  Yet, I find myself more interested in the study of the game, improving my game.  Before I go down this path, it would be nice to hear from some of you already doing that on Chess.com  Why do you find this a worthwhile endeavor?

Thank you!

I would say it is a worthwhile endeavor. Chess.com is a great place to start.

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I'm sure he meant Ho Hos...

When you play an interesting, evenly-contested game of chess, win or lose, it's really fun. Those are the games where I am really motivated to play back scouring the board for missed tactics/plans.

yes.  but its a big, Huge and daunting challenge.  whats really hard to keep putting the time in when your own rating plateaus or perhaps even sinks.

IMHO, you can't study strictly with the idea that your rating MUST rise.  instead you must learn to love the study.  learn to genuinely love the unlikely look of challenging tactic, and the stunning simplicity of an unstoppable endgame.

this, then by its very nature, means no HUGE, EPIC shelf your life for the next 5 years kind of thing.

 its fine to be drawn into a passionate challenge once in a while, but surely endurance is the magic key to getting anyone if you intend to study and improve.

yes

For me, it's an enjoyable hobby. I don't study enough, but I don't care. The bonus is I'll have a smaller chance of getting alzheimers.

I only play chess because the girls love it.

When I'm at a party, I first of all try to control the center and sit between the most beautiful ladies. And when things start to get tough, I suddenly stand up, pull out my phone and say: "Excuse me, ladies, but it's time for me to make a move."

Then I sacrifice 20$ and buy them Absinthe shots, which gives me positional advantage.

Then, without making any blunders, I put my arms around one of them and say: "You know, babe, you're in my 'mating' net."

And then I kiss her and say, "checkmate."

(Happens all the time...)

Same here, and it happens all the time, but I'm out of luck, lesbians.

If you plan on making a living off of chess.

Than the majority of your time will be wasted.

Main reason being most players never reach high enough in ranking to make a living off of chess.

Thus, all the time you invested ends up being a waste.

If you plan on playing chess more as a hobby.

Than I consider that necessary.

Main reason being most people need a outlet in life.

Often times you try to have an outlet which is either:

• Healthy

or

• Keeps you out of trouble

I consider chess the second option lol.

It keeps you out of trouble.

It def is not healthy lol.

I get in time pressure and my blood pressure rises so high.

Can't be healthy lol!

I love it. I've been studying for hours every day for years with the goal of becoming a NM and trying to make a career out of chess. So far I have an instructor job at the Midwest Chess Academy and I have a really good shot at winning my section in the Mid American Open in about a week, so I think it's going well so far. In just a couple years, my playing strength has gone from 1100 to 1800, and my goal is to reach 2200+ before 2018. I'm also writing a chess novel called Journey of the Chess Master.

My point is that, yes, I do believe studying the game can be well worth it. Not only does it make it more fun and it helps your appreciation for the game to grow, but it can be very rewarding as it helps your patience, critical thinking, and strategy skills. Plus, a lot of people end up making careers out of it. Even if you can't, doing something you love is more than enough compensation for the time and money spent.

"but it can be very rewarding as it helps your patience, critical thinking, and strategy skills."

Same thinks could be done in programming for example - you need patiance, critical thinking, and strategy skills. Or doing a business. Or poker. In those things you also can be rewarded with money, most guaranted money is in programming.

I understand it is fun. But its like a luxury to have fun at that cost it feels. Unless you are really set up your life in a way that you work like half a day and have enough money now and when youj will be in pension, and so you have lot of time for fun.

During the time I need to spend on studying chess, I am thinking how much could I learn what makes me money.