Why are women not as successful as men in chess?

After re-reading my own posts, I see why I sounded condescending in the last sentence of post #1591. Poor choice of words by me, but un-intentional. Instead of "It's okay if you don't see the connection", I should have written something like "If I'm not expressing myself clearly, it's okay, because what I'm trying to say is a minor point anyway". I think I have a bit of Asperger's syndrome, so I sometimes come off as arrogant without meaning to, and without realizing it (which leaves me very confused when I then get a negative reaction). My apologies to BigKingBud.

This really has NOTHING to do with what I've said.  "War-like"?  No.  Chess is not limited to "war-like".  Can basketball be "war-like"?  Yes.  But, chess is almost COMPLETELY 'based on' war, basketball is not.

The reason that women don't play chess as much is that their egos are not precariously balanced on their competitive wins over others.  Men play chess like rats pushing a food lever, because it feeds their ego.  

"I'm winning, ergo I must be okay after all because these other people suck more than I do."

Women, on average, seem to innately realize that chess is, ultimately, a complete waste of time.  Which it is.

This is the same phenom as men watching sports, which is a beta-male behavior which allows men with low confidence/self-esteem to group up together and hoot and holler, and to identify with alpha males and associate themselves with their achievements.  Watch a pack of baboons some time and see the beta males cheering from a distance when two alpha males fight...same exact thing.

So, generally speaking, women not playing chess is not a failing of women, it is a failing of men that so many men fritter their productive time away on a game that doesn't produce anything.

 My apologies to BigKingBud.

The reason that women don't play chess as much is that their egos are not precariously balanced on their competitive wins over others.  Men play chess like rats pushing a food lever, because it feeds their ego.  

"I'm winning, ergo I must be okay after all because these other people suck more than I do."

Women, on average, seem to innately realize that chess is, ultimately, a complete waste of time.  Which it is.

This is the same phenom as men watching sports, which is a beta-male behavior which allows men with low confidence/self-esteem to group up together and hoot and holler, and to identify with alpha males and associate themselves with their achievements.  Watch a pack of baboons some time and see the beta males cheering from a distance when two alpha males fight...same exact thing.

So, generally speaking, women not playing chess is not a failing of women, it is a failing of men that so many men fritter their productive time away on a game that doesn't produce anything.

But you're basing this on anecdotes and speculation, just like most people when debating on this issue, right?

"Women, on average, seem to innately realize that chess is, ultimately, a complete waste of time.  Which it is."   Right, as opposed to discussing it on a regular basis. That's much more constructive. 

This particular conclusion is based on a lifetime of observation, yes.  Since the science here is inconclusive, there isn't any other reasonable way to do it.

What a crock of hot air!  Good imagination, and creativity though... you'd probably like a game like chess.

It's at least as good as anything you've come up with ;)...

Below I quote my post #155 in the "Nigel Short: Women's brains not chess brains" thread. It doesn't mention war specifically, but instead mens' roles as hunters and protectors.  This is from 9 months ago, but I still feel the same.

"I think there are disproportionately low numbers of females (all ages) in chess mainly because they are not as thrilled about chess as the average male.  It seems reasonable that men's typical evolutionary role as hunter/protector would favor both physical and mental agressiveness.  Hence the enthusiasm for cerebral war-games."

#1 Woman is 68th in the world. #2 and #3 around 300rd.

Fide list shows well over 1000 GM'S. Very few Woman make the list.

Is the fact that a higher percentage of men play chess than woman explain the discrepancy? Compare the percentages of participants to the percentages of top 1000 players.

 The reason not as many women play chess as men, is 'basically' for the same reason that more female children play with dolls than with toy guns.

This simple fact(yes it is unarguable) 'pretty much' nullfies the rest of your opinioned, theory of creative, fictitious hot air.

Does Nigel Short hunt?  Does he honestly think that because he is a male he is going to be a naturally better hunter than a female?

I suspect his Manchester upbringing has negagted any inate advantage he may have hunting.

Chess is a traditionally male game.  Maybe less so TODAY but not less so even one generation ago.

If it has been a male game passed father to son then it is not surprising that there are more men playing it at every level and is seen as a predominately boys game that holds little interest to girls.  That means more coaches, more masters, more grandmasters and more twits who may have never left the city who think they are better hunters.

Where more females participate the number of successful strong masters that are female trends upwards. This success is not only limited in chess but in every professession and is probably true in hunting as well.

Basically without data to the contrary, I think anyone suggesting that prehistoric evolution has any bearing on chess ability is a Nigel. 

Please, someone post research showing that I am wrong.

1. The only 5 year old girl I know well enough to speak with... 

2. Guns vs. dolls is nuture, not nature. 

3. I have always assumed that you realize you are half full of it and over the top