Why is chess not that popular?

For those who can't read the dark on red...

I don't know how true that is, that chess is more popular than boxing or hockey. But I can say that chess is a unique sport, if that's what you'd classify it as, because it's not seasonal. You can play all year round. Anytime anywhere. :) 

What you're describing is not a popularity issue. They all know what chess is and how to play it. However, they're just not good at it. Baseball is popular. Everyone knows what it is and the fundamentals. However, they may not have ever swung a bat before. And they probably don't know some of the more technical rules of the game.

It somewhat is

Once again, not a popularity issue.

To be perfectly honest, this is coming from a non background and non playing chess person, till recently.

I think chess is extremely popular, I'd say it would easily beat any game out there when it comes to amount of people who play (popularity) and when people play chess it turns into a (game of life), lifetime game. What other game has such continued support?

Chess has stood the test of time, chess is not just a fad, no other game could ensure it's mass popularity throughout the test of time, and if 1500 years doesn't prove this as fact, then you Sir/Madam will never be one to see the forest for the trees.

Chess is and always will be the #1 game people play!

I mean't board game or online game. My apologies.

     If u missed chess in the sixties then u missed it's day in the sun....

maybe someone needs to think of a new way to make chess more exciting for the masses

+1

I will never be any good even if I did try...I really enjoy it though.

I know I'm like 3 years + late answering this but after stumbling across this question on google search,I think if you take a look at people and how generally most people are,you can easily come up with an answer. To put it simply, Chess isn't popular because it's very slow and it takes work to actually get good at the game. Now if you know this and if you've done or attempted to do any kind of study of the game,you'd know that it takes "work",I put that word in quotes because,it's not really work for those of us that enjoy the game and enjoy learning about the game,but it does take time and remember time is a resource that once spent,you can never get back!

So we know that Chess is slow and it takes work and time to get good at right? Now the second part of it is to look at how most people are. Most people are A) Generally lazy and want to get good at something really fast without putting in any kind of work or real effort into said activity,and B) People are impatient and want to see something happen right away. Reason "B" is why other forms of entertainment like wrestling are no longer what they used to be but that's a whole different story,for now let's stick to chess. :)

So I mean there you have it,oh another reason why Chess isn't any good is because most people love action,which also ties into "B" because people want to see something happen right away as I said,this is why most folks who do play find positional games boring and love "romantic chess",which usually involves alot of tactics,sorry folks there was only 1 Paul Morphy and 1 Mikhail Tal.

I personally believe that positional Chess is just as important as tactics at any level of the game,whether beginner or Master level,especially master level perhaps,since most Masters won't fall for basic tactics but even still,if you don't have a good position at any level/phase of the game,not only will you not pull off any tactics but you may find yourself on the recieving end of them. *sighs* However,I digress,the point is:

Chess isn't popular because it's slow and dull to most people and most people just aren't any good at it,not because they are stupid but because of laziness,so yeah that's just the world we live in,if you read all of that,I hope it answers your question as to why our favorite royal game isn't as popular as you would like it to be. The irony of this is that,Chess actually is popular,take this site for example,how many Chess players on this site. Chess is one of the greatest forms of competition ever and it's not going any where,study learn and improve your game,the knowledge you bust your a$$ for now will certainly serve you well 20 years from now.

P.S. People rather play/watch something like Street Fighter over Chess because it's easy to learn,doesn't take long to "git good" happy and it's action packed. However it's strategy is superficial when compared to our favorite royal game!

George, if I may call you that.  You're defeating yourself before you even try,never said I will never be good at it,this applies to not just Chess but anything in life.  You'll be defeated before you even get started and you'll never know how far you can go.  I understand you may be just being realistic with yourself and I know just how hard and frustrating Chess can be because the amount of information is overwhelming,this day and age.  

I personally believe that we all would have been alot better at the game had we learned it PROPERLY and that's the key words,in another forum,one person preached about fundamentals,even to the point of not only capitalizing but repeating the word over and over 3 times just to get his point across!.  I totally would agree.  I think it was Lasker or one of these older famous players who said that anyone can reach master within a certain amount of time,it was probably like 10 years or something.  

I don't know about all of that as I'm not a master and may never be one but I tell you what,whether I reach master or not I will NOT stop improving at this game and if I can so can you or anyone!  Chess is a game about knowledge folks,so that should answer our question of how to get better no?  If you want to get better at Chess,increase your knowledge of the game,plain and simple.  

Opening,Middle game and Endgame,what do you want to learn about? Learning about either will help improve your game.   

If you want to get good at Chess,you have to put in the work,it's no secret really and just like anything else,put in the work=getting better.  Simply playing and not increasing your knowledge will get you so far,at least that's my take on it.   I'm just trying to help,that's all! 

Also,Chess may not be as popular as other games,but it's kind of like a sport,it isn't going any where any time soon,video games like street fighter or marvel or w/e (yes I play video games lol) are like a fad,they come and they go.  Chess is here to stay,it's not going any where,long live Chess,the sport of kings!  

Just had to say this, I loved to play electric football when I was a kid, it was intelligent, it took like ten minutes to fifteen minutes to set up the play and just ten seconds and the play was over, the best part is your guy with the ball decides to do circles, when he had an open field to the touch down! They don't make games like that any more, eat your heart out, because we had good imaginations back then, you had to! lolo The only thing that was missing in the electric foot ball, was instant replay If some one does not know what I am talking about the game vibrated, that's how the men moved! it was all about how you set your pieces up, before you turn the vibrater on Just like chesslolo

You could also ask "Why do people don't like soccer or why do people love Hillray Clinton"

Nothing ist true.

So, what drives you asking such a question?

Quick simple and 100% correct for all the people that suffered a mini stroke when trying to answer.

A: Because u don't do anything. That means its boring and should only be given to kids instead of electronic devices. There!

Chesslover0_0.....I know you mean well and I am very grateful, a lot of what you said is true. I appreciate your honesty and believe me I am trying, in all ways. Cheers. : )))

Is a very decent person, rare these days. An honour to have spoken wiyh you and I hope chess becomes more popular. : )))

"Why is chess not that popular?"

G_d is giving the character to people [before they are born]. There needs to be a certain amount of people, who likes to see blood. for example. why? surgeons, nurses, mohels, slaughterers. - we need these people, but we don't need a Lot of them. understand? [but "why aren't there more M.D doctors per year" answer: "because society doesn't encourage that" sounds silly. no one asks that.

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Among smart people, why some become lawyers, some engineers, and some medical doctors? their tendencies... in chess.com, there are top GMs, and people rated 200. - they all love chess. - tendencies. same goes for the rest - judge / lawyer / cop. --- engineer / technician. --- M.D. / surgeon (theoretical person / practical person). and lower - nurse, slaughterer. - but same tendency]

[btw, we have to give these types of people [bloodlusters], jobs, otherwise they're very dangerous]

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So why chess isn't that popular... I think G-d has created a certain amount of people who enjoy straight lines, math /physics, and these are the kind of people who love chess. - we only need a certain percentage of 'engineer' / technician type of people in a society. therefore, chess isn't that popular. - there is more need in cab drivers then surgeons - that's why there are more cab drivers than surgeons. - and yes, you can say 'it's because they're stupid', but who made them this way? they're not stupid at Driving - at that they're excellent... one hand is doing all of that.