Why do people think chess is harder than checkers?

All this discussion about game tree complexity is a bit silly. The rules of chess are harder to learn, but mastering chess is easier than mastering checkers because there is so much more information available relating to chess theory than checkers theory - yet checkers is by no means lacking in endgame, middlegame and opening theory. If you don't believe me consider than there are only 4 checkers grandmasters in the whole USA compared to however many chess grandmasters, yet checkers is by no means obscure. True, checkers doesn't have the same reputation as chess which means less motivation to master it, but I don't think this is the whole story - surely everyone who plays every game has a motivation to win?

(In case you were wondering I prefer chess)

No one thinks that checkers is more or less difficult than chess. The notion that Multiplayer games can be difficult ist false. There is no such thing as difficulty in these games, however there are things such as a learing curve, competition and skill ceiling. Chess unlike checkers has not been completely solved and the fact that far less theory exists in checkers than in chess is proof that the latter is more competitive. It would be as silly as asking "why do people think football is harder than Curling"

Checkers has not been completely solved. Go As You Please Checkers has been solved but it involves the use of 10-piece endgame tablebases that humans are unable to memorise - it would be the equivalent of human chess GMs memorising the 7-piece endgame tablebases in chess. Besides, 3-move checkers has not been solved and there is to my knowledge no attempt to do it currently. Also, I did not say that less theory exists in checkers - I said a similar amount exists but chess theory is easier to find out about. Learning checkers theory may require talking to titled players in person, and, as they are rare, this is not straightforward.

Although you are correct to say there is more competition in chess.

Due to the more complex positions, chess is more complex than checkers. The related material has nothing to do with learning and doesn't make the subject easier to learn. Bees have a natural talent to understand 5th dimension Geometry, and we have many books written about it, but that doesn't make it easier than addition.

I never said anything about memorisation, and "you have to Talk to a GM about it" is not what is commonly understood as theory. Checkers has been solved by computers a while ago iirc in 30 minutes. So the skill ceiling is a lot lower than in chess. At least for engines. Can you explain why you think a similair amount of theory could exist? With what 2 types of pieces? You know that we have tomes upon tomes of just rook endgames right?

there are only 2 GMs because not too many people play checkers.what do u expect to be harder?a game with 7 piece types that move differently,or a game with 1 piece type?how can cheeckers be harder?

What is checkers? That‘s what the kids play? Half of the board unused with flat pieces?