Cyclical Curiosity
A Look into the Resurgence of Chess on the World Stage
J. A. McCreery
An ancient game, chess has been around for almost 1500 years, an enduring simulacrum for political and military confrontation, which not only provides an encompassing metaphor for intellectual battle but also serves as a platform for recreational enjoyment.
So, why does popular interest in chess wax and wane through the eras?
The Cold War boom:
The Cold War saw many shifts in social norms and, alongside the literary genre of the spy thriller, chess came into its own during this period of global stress. The game became a symbol of the raging political tension between the USA and then USSR; for the first time in history this battlefield of 64 squares was considered an important front. Russia committed resources to incorporating chess into the classroom and delivering state sponsored play throughout the country. As put by the President of the English Chess Federation, Dominic Lawson, chess was considered an imperative “demonstration of the superiority of their socialist system over the Western capitalist one.” The absence of computer technology created a sense of mystique around the game and the subsequent analysis required proved engaging for audiences. Eccentric personalities such as the USA’s Bobby Fischer, a hyper-intelligent prodigy and alleged madman by the end of his career, furthered interest to historic levels.
The Fall:
The development of modern media and easily accessible entertainment drove chess’ fall in the 90s to late 2000s. The world became disenchanted with the game, normal people often find no interest in viewing matches and often turn to the much more fast paced alternatives. Damaging stereotypes also emerged, further diluting the player-base, no longer were chess players amongst the elite, gentry of society, instead they were labelled and shamed for a once glorified art. Essentially, as a spectator sport, chess is unable to satisfy a public endowed with fast paced, intellectually undemanding or remissive entertainment. The level of understanding and research required to comprehend even an amateur level game is astounding, from the gambits and sacrifices to pawn structure and bishop pairs it is no wonder the time poor masses of the contemporary era turned away.
Rebirth:
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ever-increasing availability of instructional resources and the release of a Netflix Series The Queen’s Gambit, chess has again risen to prominence on a global level. In 2020, chess.com, a popular online platform, added over 1 million new accounts every month with a 2.8 million increase in October following the release of The Queen’s Gambit. Clearly, media drives the popularity of chess, the success of Netflix’s limited series, which masterfully tracks the journey of fictional chess prodigy Beth Harmon, providing a major lift to the game’s popularity. Further, throughout the lockdowns, many people turned to the internet for entertainment and, evidently, many found chess an engaging alternative to the mundanity of lockdown.
Although the art of chess rises and falls in line with public opinion, its benefits are enduring. Competing in chess improves problem solving skills, memory and concentration whilst also developing creativity, patience and logic. Dr Dauvergen remarks that: “Studying chess systematically has also been shown to raise students’ IQ scores, academic exam scores and strengthen mathematical, language, and reading skills”.
So, why not try a game?