Why indeed? What is it about chess that seems to attract the crazy ones? I was chatting with an old friend from Europe who used to play competitively (to the point of reaching FM and earning an IM norm before deciding to pack it in before he lost his sanity), and we both commented about the U.S. and the number of decidedly odd chess players. Now for those who don’t know me well, I never tell anyone I play chess. I am more than happy to tell them I play old man soccer, used to race bikes, played water polo in college – sure those “crazy” passions I am more than happy to talk to people about. But, chess? Absolutely not. I have close friends who have no idea I play and take it so seriously. And those who know that I do play, I explain it this way: I am just learning it so that I can encourage and teach my kids to play while still being able to beat them. The average non-chessplaying John Q Public would understand and accept this answer without thinking I am just a maladjusted lunatic, so that is what I tell everyone.
But getting back to my original question: Why? Is it that chess makes them crazy? Does Chess encourage crazy behavior? Or is it just the fact that it attracts crazy people here in the U.S.? I don’t know.
Perhaps I’ll just play No Limits Hold ‘em Poker like lots of other better-adjusted chessplayers.
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