Is chess losing popularity with the new generation? This videographer goes to Washington Square to talk to the old timers and the new generation. Interesting Google statistic at the end of the video!
As a young (early 20’s) person who plays chess, I can safely say that my age demographic is underrepresented at most tournaments.
It seems to me (through empirical observation) that both sides of the age range is represented heavily there are always a plethora of “old” men and young kids. Finding that middle demographic is trickier. I think it is because those two generations (youngest and retirees) have the most time to spend on chess and can therefore afford to spend time/money on tournaments.
Chess popularity is somewhat static imo, it’ll remain at about where it is and won’t see too many jumps (barring something crazy like a fischer-esque boom). Certainly it has to compete more and more for children’s attention and this I see as a problem. Let’s face it, playing videogame or going to a chess tournament, i think most kids are picking videogames and it’s easy to see why. You don’t have to study videogames from the 1800’s to be good at videogames now, or read books on the end of the videogame in order to play it well. Chess is more work, and most people don’t like doing hard work.
Using google’s statistic engine as a gauge for chess popularity is somewhat idiotic though; based on that logic government, and lightbulb’s are also on a decline; perhaps we should go back to living in caves and reading by candlelight?!
. .
Vastly more games of chess are played, by 13-23 year old people, in a given week these days than in the last week before web-based chess became available (in the 1990’s?).
That means chess has gained popularity.
The share of chess popularity that is directly related to the USCF has vastly declined, in lockstep with the rise of chess popularity directly related to the web.
It’s not that the USCF has been left far behind; rather the USCF wants to be left far behind if the only alternative is the embrace the modern world of web-based play.
. .
Moderator Mode: Off
Well, this is simply wrong. There is no fact or evidence to show what the USCF wants, especially that the USCF wants to be left behind on Chess anywhere or anyhow.
The USCF has attempted to have a presence on the internet and has not been successful. That does not mean the USCF wants to fail at it.
The USCF is a large group of Chess players that have historically and traditionally come from OTB and correspondence Chess play. To say the group does not want to advance to the web and its play is simply ludicrous.
I enjoyed the video and would like to give a ‘thank you’ for providing it. Some years ago there were tables just like those in the video at Central City Park in downtown Atlanta. They were removed because it was said they, “Attracted the wrong element.” Players still came to play, but it was not like before with the tables provided.
Mr. Suarez writes, “Well, this is simply wrong. There is no fact or evidence to show what the USCF wants, especially that the USCF wants to be left behind on Chess anywhere or anyhow. The USCF has attempted to have a presence on the internet and has not been successful. That does not mean the USCF wants to fail at it.”
The fact is that there are many thousands of people in the US playing chess online, and they are not playing it on a USCF server. The USCF may not want to “fail at it,” but the fact is that USCF has failed at it. It is sad but true that USCF has been behind the curve when it has come to moving into the internet age. One reason could be because the USCF leadership consists mainly of older people who have been left behind when it comes to a transition to the internet. The “evidence” is all those players NOT playing on a USCF server, but on sites like ICC, Playchess & Chess.com.
Armchair Warrior
Moderator Mode: Off
Oh, I agree the USCF has failed in Chess on the web. I just said it doesn’t necessarily want to fail at it.
There is quite a difference in what we tournament players call “real” chess versus all the other stuff. By real chess we usually mean tournament chess. The other stuff includes coffee house chess and most all online chess.
The problem that online chess has is the rating system. I know a lot of people that play all types of chess, including online chess. No one seems to take any of the online ratings seriously. They all still consider their USCF standard rating as the true measure.
Now, I actually expect one of the online servers to get some recognition in time, but maybe not. Perhaps we will see the rating leave as an important item to Chess players.
It would be nice if the USCF could be the true standard bearer with a server that has a true reflection of one’s rating. I think a slow game rating would be good with tournaments and perhaps league play.
Good post. I believe the same can be said in the fighting game community like the Street Fighter games or the Magic: The Gathering crowd. I believe that the chess, street fighter, and magic communities are similar to eachother!
I think chess in America got a huge bump in the years after Fischer won the world championship.
-In fact, I was taught in 4th grade, and most likely because it was within a few years of 1972.
But as a whole, chess has never had the same cultural integration as in Europe or Russia. So it follows that the younger generation is less inclinded to want to play chess. I think USCF’s mission to scholastic chess is one of the better aspects of its mission goals.
Although none of the USCF’s mission goals are bad. Its hard balance to both support Scholastic and professional chess players in the USA, and as someone recently posted, they think the USCF spends too much money on professional chess players.
But that person didn’t say exactly what he thinks the USCF should have spent the money on. Scholastic chess certainly gets a good chunck of the USCF dollars, and kinda should be that way anyway. If you don’t invest in the youth, where are we suppose to get new chess players. The real trick is getting those students in the scholatic chess programs to become lifelong adult players. Thats a catch thats hard to reel in: a lot due to the fact that many scholastic chess players, once they get out of school, don’t think chess is worth thier time. And lets face it: between work, having a famaily,going to college and just plain being plugged in all the time in the “every here and now” of socializing (not to mention online games), chess can easily fall off the radar of those players ages 18 to 24.
