What is Chess?

Chess is neither a sport or an art form, it is on a much higher level than those lessor pursuits. Chess is purified thought, mind against mind. Someday, when our minds can finally grasp it, we won't need a board or pieces to play. My answer...Chess is the end result of a species who has conquered their environment and now have the leisure time and spare caloric resources to explore exactly how far thought alone can take them.

"Chess is life" Bobby Fisher

Chess is antidepressant, stimulant, painkiller, sedative and aphrodisiac, whichever you need.

A board game, that's all

I like your answer, Bonsai (#3), but i think it's the answer to another question.  I think you're selling us short.

Surely chess isn't "the end result of a species..." -- don't you think that we have room to improve and evolve from here?

Assuming we don't blow ourselves up or batter our environment to the point of uninhabitability -- both of which seem to be more and more frighteningly possible by the day, shamefully -- i'd like to think that chess is a mere stepping stone on the way to what your answer spelled out.  

That's what i hope, anyway.

Perhaps chess will seem to people thousands of years in the future what checkers seems to us today.

What is chess? What is this longing in our hearts for mate? Is it not the sweetest flower? Does not this flower of chess have the fragrant aroma of fine-fine mahogany? Does not the queen love the rook?

Are you playing chess tonight? Do not doubt what chess is. Take a knight in your hand and release the power. That's right release it. Play the chess within yourself. Tame the wild cosmos with a pawn move. Conquer heaven in one intimate caress. That's right don't be shy. Whip out everything you've got and do it in the butt.

By Leon Phelps

Chess is a distraction. Nothing more than that. People spend days weeks, years of their lives trying to get better at nothing more than random objects moving on a random surface. It is a great game, but some don't know when to let life become more important to them.

--badmarc4

So many people can't think of their own answers. regaurdless of whether they be great, or complete crap.

I think chess; therefore I am?

Chess is depending on from what perspective:

1. From the perspective of mathematics is a physical 3 dimensional sample model of the field of mathematics known as Game Theory.

2. From the perspective of history is probably a 1500 yr. old relic of an ancient form of entertainment that despite many changes throughout its history is still in its modern form a form of entertainment.

3. From a social perspective is conversation piece, a decoration in the home, etc.

4. From an educational perspective is a good tool for teaching disciplined, rigorous thinking.

5. From a scientific perspective it is a 2 dimensional, finite, modified model of our 4d spacetime.

There are many perspectives for describing what chess is. 

Chess is chess.

The answer that chess is mind against mind is bad I think because one is obviously also using the rest of the body and not only the brain playing chess. Anyone who denies that is simply an idiot. 

Chess is 64 squares, 32 marble, 32 ebony. 32 pieces, 16 marble, 16 ebony. 

Or bubblegum pink, in my case

Chess is a sport 

chess is everything, that has space, mass and volume.