Chess boom?

[Matt Mackenzie]

As someone on Twitter pointed out (though I would say second is not restricted to kids):

'Chess' - the centuries old tactical battle played out over hours face to face is dying.

But is it really, though?

Much of the comment on this seems hyperbolic - and in a fair few cases from those who actually seem to *want* it to happen.

(though I have no idea why)

[Paul Heaton]

As someone on Twitter pointed out (though I would say second is not restricted to kids):

'Chess' - the centuries old tactical battle played out over hours face to face is dying.

But is it really, though?

Much of the comment on this seems hyperbolic - and in a fair few cases from those who actually seem to *want* it to happen.

(though I have no idea why)

Off the top of my head-
London Chess Classic - cancelled in 2022 as the money could not be raised;
Grenke Classic (and associated open) - presumably no news is bad news and not happening;
Gibraltar - gone (albeit so has the venue);
Gashimov Memorial - now middle of the road rapid/blitz from world class all play all with Magnus competing;
Eric Hansen’s video on YouTube that 100% of the $45k he made playing chess in 2022 came from online;

Closer to home Brian’s statistic above graded games are down 40%. I think the last time Michael Adams played a long play tournament (as opposed to a team event) was in Sweden in May last year, though admittedly he is playing in the Cambridge Open.

It strikes me that chess is similar to cricket, where 20-20 is thriving at the expense of the first class game.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Yes, but isn't a lot of that Covid-related?

Sweepingly proclaiming the death of classical chess because of it looks a bit like special pleading.

[Joey Stewart]

I don't see it as players unwilling to play chess, more that suitable venues are becoming rarer and more expensive, transportation is an increasing significant hurdle to attendance, organisers are less able to commit the vast hours of unpaid work they used to and sponsors are getting more miserly and demanding.
All those financial barriers to entry kind of force a lot of players into a situation where it is online or nothing but I don't think over the board will ever die completely.

[Nick Ivell]

Agreed. Over the board will never die, just wither away.

At least we have the consolation that OTB is chess as opposed to 'chess'.

OTB takes too much concentration in an era of midget concentration spans.

[Tim Spanton]

The death of OTB chess is being greatly exaggerated.
I have just returned from Mariánské Lázně, where the numbers in the largest tournament, for seniors 50+, were double last year's. Indeed I was told the organisers are looking for a new venue next year to cope with expected greater demand.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Agreed. Over the board will never die, just wither away.

Even that is an exaggeration IMO (rather as it is also with Test cricket, given that the comparison has been made)

[Simon Rogers]

On my travels around various websites, I've seen new events and record entries for tournaments.
For example, the Kidlington Congress is showing a high number.
The club websites mostly show record interest since the pandemic due to people taking up chess online and The Queen's Gambit series.
Locally, Preston and Lytham Chess clubs who both have a great social media presence have increased numbers dramatically and have extra teams in the Blackpool & Fylde Chess League.

[Paul Heaton]

The death of OTB chess is being greatly exaggerated.
I have just returned from Mariánské Lázně, where the numbers in the largest tournament, for seniors 50+, were double last year's. Indeed I was told the organisers are looking for a new venue next year to cope with expected greater demand.

“I think classical chess is dying a slow death” - Caruana on his latest podcast.

Also pointing out what’s the motivation for someone like Wesley So making the huge effort (travel, long days, huge prep) for a $25-30k start fee at somewhere like Wijk ann Zee when he can make $50k from his front room playing online. The big drop in high level OTB events already is noticeable and seems from Caruana’s words set to continue outside the world championship. The trickle down influence on lower level remains to be seen.

[Ian Thompson]

“I think classical chess is dying a slow death” - Caruana on his latest podcast.

Also pointing out what’s the motivation for someone like Wesley So making the huge effort (travel, long days, huge prep) for a $25-30k start fee at somewhere like Wijk ann Zee when he can make $50k from his front room playing online. The big drop in high level OTB events already is noticeable and seems from Caruana’s words set to continue outside the world championship. The trickle down influence on lower level remains to be seen.

On the other hand, Giri said yesterday:

"There will be a lot of classical chess for me. [...] I’m not sure if I’ll be able to deliver such results as this one, but I’ll certainly take what I learned here and try to apply it. I’ll have many classical tournaments, and I hope that by the end of the year I’ll have a good rating to qualify to the Candidates, that’s what matters."

[Joey Stewart]

Caruana seems to be forgetting the only reason that someone like Wesley so is able to make so much money streaming is because he built his fame on the foundation of over the board chess - it's unlikely anyone would ever get to that world class strength if they just sat at home blitzing and talking rubbish on camera all day, and without that status you'll never get the sheep to throw money at you.

[NickFaulks]

Also pointing out what’s the motivation for someone like Wesley So making the huge effort (travel, long days, huge prep) for a $25-30k start fee at somewhere like Wijk ann Zee when he can make $50k from his front room playing online.

That's a bit like Cristiano Ronaldo getting paid a fortune to go to Saudi Arabia and play low quality football. Money for old rope, but an acknowledgement that their real career is over.

[Paul Heaton]

That's a bit like Cristiano Ronaldo getting paid a fortune to go to Saudi Arabia and play low quality football. Money for old rope, but an acknowledgement that their real career is over.

I think Ben Stokes (or take your choice of any world class cricketer) going to India to play 20-20 is the more correct analogy. $2m for this Chessdotcom tour, titled Tuesday. I now understand why Magnus threw Niemann under a bus- not to protect the sanctity of over the board Chess, but the online variant.

Also interesting from Caruana is the streamers make multiples of what the top players make- including Magnus (probably explaining his sudden interest in the area). Something I had hitherto not appreciated.

So far as I’m aware there is now no high level over the board tournament until Norway Chess in late May. Closest is the America Cup at the St Louis Chess Center- by definition not a global event.

[MartinCarpenter]

That's a bit like Cristiano Ronaldo getting paid a fortune to go to Saudi Arabia and play low quality football. Money for old rope, but an acknowledgement that their real career is over.

I think Ben Stokes (or take your choice of any world class cricketer) going to India to play 20-20 is the more correct analogy. $2m for this Chessdotcom tour, titled Tuesday. I now understand why Magnus threw Niemann under a bus- not to protect the sanctity of over the board Chess, but the online variant.

That was always the point, yes. Online play is very serious money now, and cheating at it isn't something to tolerate.

Of course, the online variant can't exist without at least making people prove it from time to time in big over the board tournaments. I don't think anyone would believe that a 2700+ player who only ever played online was clean.

You can actually see this ending up working out quite well for big/strong OTB tournaments. They might have to change, yes, but.... If they're needed for the prestige, and the top players are all earning loads of money in other ways, then they'll presumably actually become rather easier and cheaper to arrange?

Might even be able to get larger/younger/more varied fields.

[Ian Thompson]

So far as I’m aware there is now no high level over the board tournament until Norway Chess in late May.

There's a list here. The next event they have, other than the German team championship, is the Dusseldorf WR Chess Masters, with Nepomniachtchi, Giri, So, Aronian, Duda, Gukesh, Abdusattorov, Keymer, Praggnanandhaa and Esipenko, starting on 15 February.