WGM Natalia's Poll

I know exactly what you mean Elubas.  However, this isn't a movement, and I don't think a bunch of people with no interest in chess are going to join up.  And we do have some dumb people in our ranks as it is, but I agree that the ratios in that area are very favorable.

Sounds like the wrong kind of attention trashy, controversial, poor sportsman someone who gives chess a really bad image the way he or she behaves is that how you want the game to be portrayed to young kids and families about what chess is all about?

I'd prefer a modern day dashing Capablanca or Morphy appear in the future who can grab the game by the horns and represent it with class.

Obviously she was referring to having sex prior to a tournament, much as the same question of whether an athlete should have sex prior to a game or a competition. Did you guys really think she was referring to "during the games themselves"???

Absolutely, as weird as it is. Natalia herself said it's during on the first page here.

During a tournament does not necessarily mean during a game.  Tournaments can run over the course of a number of days.

Told you chess and sex depend from position, if you practice one you will improve in the other

Quite frankly, pretty much everyone is in the standard line when it commes to intelligence, you, me, and pretty much everyone is, the huge bulk of people you will ever meet are in the standard when it commes to intelligence, very few are above it, and the few that are under it are easily noticed in real life. More people playing are never bad, and the more eyes on chess, the more people will notice how beautifull and enjoyable the game is.

I'm not happy about the fact that only immature punks seems to be popular today, but that seems to be how it is. Carlsens modest appearance and talk isn't going to give him nor chess the increased popularity it could. With that said, I respect Carlsen for not being a douchebag.

lol, it's how you play the opening that leads to a satisfactory endgame!

Well, by "during" I definitely meant between games. Not the "let's go to the washroom during the game" scenario appropriate for some porn movie, but not real life.

I've yet to see a porno movie taking place in a chess surrounding, but rest assured, if I found one I would share it with all the chess community.

We chess players has to stick together and help eachother.

It's not necessarily intelligence that it takes to appreciate the game. But try to teach the average player to play the game, and they will most likely say it's very hard or boring. In fact, maybe it's this "beginning hump" before 1000 or so where everyone gives up, because below that level chess just seems to be a game of not dropping pieces (and you do anyway) and only winning when you have like 2 extra queens. That's how it was for me lol, and it indeed got boring and frustrating when I played better people. But even if they make it past there, few will put in all the time that you need for chess. I mean the fact that the average person is very likely to say it's boring is not a good sign. But if you get a lot of people who normally wouldn't play chess, I don't think many would still apreciate it honestly.

If Alexandra Kosteniuk got people to play chess what would probably happen is the jocks would try a game and they would realize how "boring" it is in reality. It's hard to just force someone to like the game by making them play more games if they're clearly not one of those people who would like it. After all, not many people care so much about one board game!

While I understand what you are saying Elubas, I'm still convinced that if more people gave it a try (which is the logical following after it gets increased publicity) is that more people would find it fun. Granted, people that haven't tried it before, might do so and conclude that it's boring, so we would get more people who find it boring aswell, but that's hardly a problem.

There was a boom in chess in the western world during the Fischer era, the increased publicity did have a positive effect, granted the numbers started declining after he went mad and dissapeared. But the numbers where still above the preceding years for a long time.

I´m pretty sure chess increased in popularity in the US during Paul Morphys time aswell, Chess just hasn't been lucky with their pioneers, with them being stark raving mad and all.

Well, maybe it is worth a shot. Probably some will find it fun, and only if it's 25% (like I think) of the new people that would still be a nice increase.

Now that we have come to an agreement on that, I think we should start working on a porno movie taking place in a chess surrounding.

I think that this is an "english as a second language" problem.  I think what she's wondering is if people abstain from sex when they're in a big tourment or match, sort of the way football players are supposed to have sex the night before a big game.  Anyway, that's what I think.

I don't think he was having sex lol... I think he was using a computer or something.

Sorry to get off topic, but assuming that Kramnik was cheating because Topalov decided to throw a tantrum while losing the match does not make much sense to me. Moreover, the videos of Topalov's team possibly giving him signals during a game look a lot more convincing to me than Kramnik's potty breaks.

Hey, it's just what I got from wikipedia, I believe. I have no idea what actually happened but that's what it says probably happened. But if there is nothing terrbily wrong with Kramnik then it just doesn't make sense to make so many breaks.

Oh, c'mon!

Why would Kramnik cheat!?

Topalov was upset because he lost, and yelled out some childish assertion about Kramnik cheating... It's stupid, Kramnik IS capable of beating Topalov. They're both great players though... ;)

The poll, however... eehh.. I first read it and thought: "Doing what during whatnow!?"! Question threw me jumping off the chair!

Eeh... Why would one practise sex? To be better at it? I use to practise playing the guitar, but... Whatnow!?!?

Well, I will be reading the correlations that Pogonina's trying to uncover, though! Haha!