Is chess a game for nerds?

My old neighbor and his wife came to see me recently. When I told them I was playing chess online, my neighbor told me you had to be a nerd to play that game. I started playing chess because it's a great pastime. I don't consider myself a nerd; the only thing that might seem like it is that I had a career in programming computers and elaborate computer systems where logic is a necessary skill.

Absolutely. Athletic guys play football while chess players are nerds.

Chess is for everyone. Proof: chess boxing

Well, if you think about, being a nerd isn't actually bad. It generally just means you're more interested in academical or computational or strategical non-action things. You could call the developer of Deepseek, Copilot, and ChatGPT "nerds", but they're successful people.

On the contrary...
If you're a teacher's pet or a "Oh no! I got one point off on this exam! I doomed for the rest of my life!" type person, then you're annoying to everyone's public appearance.

And hey, nerds also work out (lift weights, run miles etc., stay fit) so it's fine.

And if you like chess, play chess. Just don't be addicted and play for 5 hours a day

maybe becoming high rated is a nerdy thing, or even trying to constantly improve, but, the good thing about online chess is in general you can quickly find a game with people your own level. you don't need to study or improve. play at your own level and win 50% of the time.

@h2b2 said in #5:

maybe becoming high rated is a nerdy thing, or even trying to constantly improve, but, the good thing about online chess is in general you can quickly find a game with people your own level. you don't need to study or improve. play at your own level and win 50% of the time.

well, a bit less than 50% of the time, but yeah. play for fun is good.

@Hagredion said in #2:

Absolutely. Athletic guys play football while chess players are nerds.

I have played a football/chess tournament myself. So i was an athletic nerd when i have done that? ;-)

Yes. True chess player also sociopath, goes outside 2-3 times a year and afraid to talk to woman.

@OpMisantrop said in #8:

Yes. True chess player also sociopath, goes outside 2-3 times a year and afraid to talk to woman.

Not quite right.
Women talk that much that it doesn't matter if a man is too afraid to talk or simply never get's the chance ;-)
And there are more than 3 OTB tournaments in the year woth much more rounds to play, so it is safe to say they leave home more than 3 times....

@Murphy_the_Irish_red said in #7:

I have played a football/chess tournament myself. So i was an athletic nerd when i have done that? ;-)

No, no even if you played football and are athletic once you've played chess you become a nerd. There is no escape ;)