In recent years chess has undergone a resurgence in popularity, propelled by a combination of factors including online platforms and high-profile tournaments, and perhaps most notably, the popular Netflix movie, The Queen’s Gambit starring Ana-Joy Taylor.
Yet, beneath the surface of this chess renaissance lies a murky landscape that is often misunderstood. While the spotlight often shines on the glitz and glamor of the game, a hidden culture revolving around it is just coming to light.
One of the primary drivers behind chess’s popularity has been the surge in online platforms, offering access to millions across the globe in just a matter of seconds. These websites and apps, including Chess.com and Lichess.org, have seen massive growth in players, with a total of 12.5 billion games having been played on Chess.com in 2023 alone. The combination of efficient gameplay, both computer-based and real-life opponent access, and tutorials and community forums have especially aided in the resurgence. Additionally, streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube have further fueled chess’s popularity, attracting a young audience through engaging content and personalities. Grandmasters like Hikaru Nakamura – known by his Twitch handle as “GMHikaru” and Levy Rozman (“GothamChess” on Youtube) have capitalized on this trend, cultivating massive followings by streaming their gameplay, offering insights, and interacting with fans in real-time.
However, this higher profile has played a role in fostering an even more competitive climate than ever before. Chess has always been a game of skill, precision, and often, stress. This leads to polarized and tense competition, fueled by fears of cheating as well as rampant sexism and discrimination. Chess itself is a game of hierarchy, proved even so by the value of each chess piece. But, coupled with the game’s growth in popularity as well as strict ratings (the Elo system which ranks players’ skills from 1000 upwards), the game has become seemingly more unbending.
Chess is a game of ego, and losing often boils down to a simple lack of mastery. Despite being a learnable skill, discussions often linger online about the potential link between chess ability and IQ. Even for those at the pinnacle of the chess world, elite tournaments showcase the talents of top players and offer grand prize pools. Events like the Candidates Tournament and the World Chess Championship capture the imagination of enthusiasts worldwide, with each move scrutinized and analyzed in real time.
Among many reasons for this seemingly “harsh” culture, one stems from the sexist attitudes prevailing in the game, with a large gap between female and male-identifying players in chess. Amid play, women are often subject to snide and sexist comments made by opponents – both during in-person and virtual gameplay – and at certain tournaments are valued less for their play and more for appearances or fashion. The chess world has had no shortage of participation in the #MeToo movement, with frequent accusations of players for verbal and sexual assault towards women. Many occurrences also go unreported, as The International Chess Federation, (FIDE) requires those wishing to make a misconduct complaint against another player to first pay a fee of 75 euros (80 USD).
Despite this, women are still making a mark on the game, and according to the US Chess Federation, as of 1990, only 4% of chess players were women, while today it has reached 14%. The media has also begun shedding a light on women in the game, with Disney’s “Queen of Katwe” (2016) covering the story of a young woman from Uganda who began to play in 2005, and later became Uganda’s first-ever female winner of Uganda’s junior chess championship. Netflix’s “The Queen’s Gambit” (2020), set in the 1960’s, also displays the tale of a young woman destined to become the greatest chess player amidst a struggle with addiction and the looming Cold War.
Amongst the struggles and stress that chess culture presents to players, one may wonder: does the enjoyment of the game still prevail? Cheating scandals have played a great role in chess culture in recent years, especially as computerized chess programs are on the rise. “You are pulling your heart and soul into really trying to win a game, and then you just realize it is just punching a brick wall,” according to chess player Dan Timbrell, for Business Insider in May 2024.
Yet, even with the described “toxicity” of the game, millions still choose to participate. And so, even with the trials and tribulations that chess may present, as one Chess.com forum puts it: “It’s just a game.”
