Unpopular Chess Opinions

1. Titles should be completely abolished. 

2. Chess has become pay to win, or at the very least, a cashgrab.

3. Most chess youtubers/content creators are super annoying.

4. Chess is not, and will never be a sport.

5. Because most chess users connect ELO to self worth, most of the chess community has become toxic. 

The best way to get good at something has always been to get someone to train you. Those people increasingly have demands on their time and bills to pay. It's not unreasonable that Chess experts charge for their services.

I don't think I have many [or any] unpopular chess opinions to add, but I'll put my responses to each of your five in a numbered list.

1) No, chess titles are hard earned and there is nothing wrong with offering titles which signify someone's accomplishments. The educational system has doctorate degrees; athletes have professionals; chess has titled players. I don't see anything wrong with having chess titles for those who earn them.

2) If anything the opposite is true. Chess is one of the few things which has not become a pay-to-win game. Anyone can improve at chess and income isn't a primary indicator. Of course having more money can mean more options such as personal coaching or money for books, but this is true for all things - not just chess. In fact, I invested very little money into chess, so I am a living example of chess not being pay-to-win.

3) Yes, most probably are annoying to you. There are a ton of channels, so just pick YouTuber(s) who you resonate with and go with those channels. Shameless plug for my channel: https://www.youtube.com/@kesetokaiba/videos but if you don't like my channel enough, then you are welcome to try different channels instead. If you literally find EVERY channel annoying, then perhaps the channel(s) aren't the problem.

4) I agree with you. Chess lacks the physical criterion for myself to consider it a sport. Chess is a game (a board game). It is a highly competitive game, but nevertheless a game. If others consider it a sport, then that is because they have different criterion for physical level needed to be considered a sport. It doesn't necessarily mean either side is "right or wrong" - it just means different people use different definitions.

5) It is unhealthy to connect your own self-worth to chess rating because chess rating naturally fluctuates a lot and your self-worth should not fluctuate this much. I also observe that many people take chess seriously and attach too much self-worth to their ratings, but I wouldn't say most chess players fall into this category. Similarly, the chess community is not toxic overall. Clearly, you haven't been in more competitive atmospheres such as fighting games, or high stakes poker. Chess only appears toxic if you hang out in certain online forums all day and don't experience chess in other areas (or even just participate in the many non-toxic forums).

1. Not too unpopular, but I feel all openings are equal (or mostly equal), just with their own advantages and disadvantages. There is no "best opening" unless you are going by highest winrate, and your openings should be what you like best and are most comfortable, not what is "best".

2. Games that are a result of a slow outplaying or attempted conversion, with the opposition resisting every step of the way is WAY more fun than a game where they fall for an early trap (like fried liver) and are instantly dead lost, or a game where my opponent is just extremely stupid.

3. Pawns are underrated, especially at the beginner level. Everyone at my level mostly only cares about the power peices, but they dont realize how important pawns are.

4. Italian game is eh. The MOMENT the fried liver stops working, (Or, in other words, once i start getting hit with 4. ... Na5, which has yet to happen giving me an 100% winrate in an opening I dont even like much anymore.) I am DITCHING the Italian game, and likely kings pawn as a whole. I have always been attracted to more nuanced, positional play, especially with London system, trompowsky, catalan (albeit, the catalan is quite complex), but I need the skill and elo to get there, so until then, I have to use fried liver.

4. The polish opening isnt bad, and it weirdly cant be refuted. I still won't ever play it tho.

help me bot 1 eisi winin, i spanish peru machu picchu, ceviche, llamas, i go to scholl in llama, yes i inglish fluid 100% realy no fake oye bebesita brrrrrrr alvio online es un juego multiplatarforma forma tu equipo y derrota pueblos enemigos descarga ya en mega uuuuu women evil evil and danger He has a sensual look and a beautiful smile wining chile y love honey mello ruiz chuchu wa chu chu wa chu chu wa wa wa chu chu wa chu chu wa chu chu wa wa wa manos puños chuchu wa wa wa..... adios tengo sueño

Chess isn't pay to win, but kind of. I am stuck because I can't afford chess anymore.

A lot of truth in what ya say. No matter what you might be having a issue with. You will never be worthy enough to be respected with a helpful answer. You stand a better chance that you'll be insulted belittled or just plain ignored. If you do start discussing a serious problem that exists and effect almost everyone every day ; you got to be reminded regularly that there's a special place out in the woods that you can go yell about ; but discussing it here is frowned on. The forum is straight up useless for just regular every day people who enjoy simple chess.