Why play chess? There are unbeatable computers out there.

Isn't it a programming competition? why play, no one's ever going to beat it

Why do you play it?

don't know, i just seem to

Ive to think about this....

There are not any unbeatable computers? If there are, cite your sources! Clearly, you are not a logician. All the super powerful engines (such as Houdini) have been beaten before. At least by other chess engines. Even the top correspondence chess players when using engines to analyze their game ignore the engines suggestions, because they know better than the engine. One day, I'll probably be able to beat these engines. 

Once computing technology gets better, programmers will be able to create 32-piece databases.

That's when chess officially dies.

Why live when there are people older than you? Clearly they're better at living than you are.

The same reason people play instruments when MIDI exists, which is the same reason people cook meals even though there are professional chefs, which is the same reason people play pickup soccer for fun when FIFA exists. People train for years to be Olympic weightlifters when there are machines capable of lifting unimaginable weight. People walk when cars can go faster for longer.

Besides, computers and humans play chess in completely different ways. Human chess has a psychological component, learning to play off of your opponent's quirks. Computers don't have that.

not for long, in a couple generations, the world will be pratically machine everything

Anything art cannot be machined.

Thus, true music and visual art cannot be machined. 

Well, for arguement's sake, let's say that they are unbeatable.  I recognize that an hydraulic press can easily out-lift me, a motorcycle can accelerate a lot faster, a plane can fly; it's pretty amazing the things machines can do.  I'm more worried about how well I play than who or what plays better than I do.  Carlsen will kick my a** anytime we play, but I don't feel like less of a man for it--same thing for a machine.

only older versions, not newer ones

So a machine plays better than I do. So? I very seldom play machines; and when I do, I do it to learn, not to beat the computer.

I play chess because it's a challenge, because it's fun, because it diverts me from the everyday cares of life and gives me a sense of really accomplishing something when I play what appears to me to be a good game.

I don't care if Carlsen or Deep Blue can find a dozen laughable mistakes in my play; I don't aspire to be either one of them. I am simply trying to beat THIS GUY. I'm trying to play a really nice pawn endgame. I'm trying to work out a four or five move combination (which I just did the other day) and have it come out the way I planned.

I also solve Sudoku and Jumble puzzles when I know that even cheap computer programs can solve them almost instantaneously. So what? It's the process, not the solution, that makes these games valuable to us.

Nicely put...

Worth restating.

Good question. Chess should be made illegal.

Or you could ask, why run races? There are machines that can beat us. Not to mention animals. Same with weight lifting, swimming, etc.

If chess should be made illegal, why are you playing chess? Your argument doesn't make sense.

At my level, it's not really chess. An IM on here, told me he doesn't consider it real chess unless it's at least 2100 FIDE level. Besides only an idiot wouldn't realize I was just joking.

Chess is a serious game. Even if you are bad you should keep trying. Just because you are a bad player is not a reason to not take it seriously. Also, how do I know that you were joking? This is the Internet, remember? I don't know your tone of voice. Lastly, running and swimming is an essential sport that is good to master. If machines can run faster than us, so what? It doesn't matter. What matters is the fact that you can run fast.

P.S. If you think I am an idiot please do not announce it in the General Chess Discussion. I have feelings just like you.

The point I was making was that it would be dumb to quit chess, just because machines can beat us. As far as making something illegal goes, I think we have too many dumb laws as it is.