Chess is booming among teens

Because chess offers more variety in strategy than "rush A", "rush B", "they're going squeaky", "rotate". It's particularly fun in-person, and shockingly, the generation coming up likes to look at screens less and less, and apparently isn't keen on smartphones.

Re: Chess is booming among teens

#5

Post by Spark_Ed » Mon, May 01, 2023, 3:09 AM UTC

sdwr wrote: post #3

This is wild. Chess feels old-school and boring to me. Don't understand how it's competing with modern sources of entertainment.

Faster variants are more accessible due to the UX quality given by chess.com and lichess. Blitz and bullet are like a competitive puzzle esport. Pair that with the competitive gaming industry and its more recent failures. A lot of people were hungry for something different, rather than a cheap reskin of the last thing that did the best numbers.

Re: Chess is booming among teens

#6

Post by olkingcole » Mon, May 01, 2023, 3:09 AM UTC

sdwr wrote: post #3

This is wild. Chess feels old-school and boring to me. Don't understand how it's competing with modern sources of entertainment.

I think the main reason, besides chess being fundamentally a great and timeless game, is streaming. Popular streamers picked it up and many top level players also started streaming online chess, which can be very entertaining. Often they are playing fast, exciting time controls like 1 or 2 minutes. Chess.com and others brought flavorful tournament coverage and hosted events with guests from outside the chess world. Chess.com and lichess have great apps and strong competitive communities.

Basically, it's all there. Chess is born anew for the 21st century.

Re: Chess is booming among teens

#7

Post by Encrust6221 » Mon, May 01, 2023, 3:09 AM UTC

hammyhavoc wrote: post #4

sdwr wrote: post #3

This is wild. Chess feels old-school and boring to me. Don't understand how it's competing with modern sources of entertainment.

Because chess offers more variety in strategy than "rush A", "rush B", "they're going squeaky", "rotate". It's particularly fun in-person, and shockingly, the generation coming up likes to look at screens less and less, and apparently isn't keen on smartphones.

The article makes it pretty. lear that the vast majority are using laptops and phones.

Re: Chess is booming among teens

#8

Post by Upvoter33 » Mon, May 01, 2023, 3:11 AM UTC

I'm old, and it's booming among my friends. For me, there are so many good explanations/videos on Youtube that make the game so much more accessible. All the stuff was in books, but seeing it explained live over a chessboard is WAY better.

Re: Chess is booming among teens

#9

Post by GaggiX » Mon, May 01, 2023, 3:11 AM UTC

sdwr wrote: post #3

This is wild. Chess feels old-school and boring to me. Don't understand how it's competing with modern sources of entertainment.

I guess more complex forms of entertainment have diminishing returns.

Re: Chess is booming among teens

#10

Post by hammyhavoc » Mon, May 01, 2023, 3:12 AM UTC

Encrust6221 wrote: post #7

hammyhavoc wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because chess offers more variety in strategy than "rush A", "rush B", "they're going squeaky", "rotate". It's particularly fun in-person, and shockingly, the generation coming up likes to look at screens less and less, and apparently isn't keen on smartphones.

The article makes it pretty. lear that the vast majority are using laptops and phones.

In their sample.