Well by some standard I guess everything is :P. But it's still enjoyable, it's still a fantastic way for a lucky few to make a living... and to quote Fischer: "All I want to do, ever, is just play chess."
:)
The 'Pointlessness' of Chess
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Perhaps he is playing chess at this very moment, and I would be delighted to find him doing so. But if all he 'ever' wanted to do was play chess, then - Im afraid he might not be.
:)
Saying that Chess is pointless assumes that life has a point.
This statement is so profoundly ignorant I don't know where to start!
Chess has often been considered the ultimate test of intelligence, combining mathematical reasoning, deductive reasoning, experience, memory, creativity and knowledge. It is a vehicle for developing intellectual skills and problem solving, like most other methods of education. I realise that it does not solve the problems of poverty, injustice and the like, but then neither does any organized sport or outdoor pursuits, computer games, movies, music etc. What it does do is develop the brain so that these skills can be applied to other areas that will benefit humanity. Apart from the odd thrown chess piece, it is unlikely to result in human suffering or death.
If you want to pick on the pointlessness of human endeavour, I suggest you start somewhere more appropriate.
Precisely, life has a point. And chess is not it. And neither is 99% of everything everybody else does.
Feb 10, 2009
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#7
yea really there is no point to anything in life, except for religion because u will die and you will be buried next to the wealthy and the poor. What is so great about being successful? it's the same as playing chess, you are seeking the pleasure in life. no on really does it to "better humanity", this isn't an arguable point because humans naturally seak pleasure or happiness.
It's a ''Game'' there's no doubt about that and if it doesn't stimulate you in any way or focus your mind !! Then yes it is pointless and so are we all
I for one Think not.
makadabr, you just explained everything for me, thank you.
Chess, is a game which may help people with their intellectual capabilities, but that in itself, is not helping anything with the point of life.
If you want to read an ad nauseum discussion of this go to
http://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-players/is-chess-really-worth-it
Well, it's better than most things you could do with your free time, like watching TV. At least this trains your mind. And if you get good enough, you could even make a living out of it, although that's unlikely because you have to be like 2500 to have a decent chance of doing it.
GavinH, you think we are all pointless? A chessboard I can throw, it can break - and I can not care anymore than I would if I stepped on a grasshopper. Now a child, I cannot kill, I cannot because I believe life does have a point. If everyone believed as you just implied, then anyone could do anything without consequence. You have children, I would expect you to understand.
I play because if not, I am bored....
"spoiler" 2009 AD.
Pointlessness wrote:
Precisely, life has a point. And chess is not it. And neither is 99% of everything everybody else does.
Why do I get the feeling that what you really want is to tell us your own particular opinion as to what that point is?
If your view of chess is pointless than stop wasting YOUR time !
life is like a box of chocolate and chess is the creme filled piece
Sheath, you probably have that feeling because I gave you that feeling, is that not the feeling people get when told about points of life? For some I would imagine it intriguing, for others, ummm.. Pointless?
Theepiremaker, im not wasting my time in any way at all! I do play chess, and I enjoy it. I play it for fun, because thats what humans do, they entertain themselves with anything they can. But what I do not do is waste the chance I have to understand the point of life by playing the game of chess.
Chess is not pointless. Besides the other valuable lessons it can teach a person mentioned above, it can be a test. In my case it is a test of patience, perseverance, and the presence or nonpresence of intellectual sloth. I will never be a "great" chess player and one of the reasons for this Iis I do not know how to approach any particular position and disect/analyze it, as a computer does, to what is the single best possible move. My enjoyment of the game is that not everybody plays or is able to play to win. Their are many ways to interpret the game as their are players to play it.
Chess does nothing to better humanity. Not that it should, not that it could, but it is not doing anything productive in any way at all. Time is limited on earth, anyone can go at any time. So chess can be for fun I suppose, but really it is pointless.