Sometimes it feels like the entire world has been taken over by the internet. The creation of the 'net has changed just about every single aspect of our lives. Even things that have been around since before the middle ages, things no one thought would ever change have been influenced by the internet. The internet has even forced the game of chess to evolve.
It has long been accepted that chess is a game for intellectuals. In order to be a good chess player a person has to have a strong grasp of mathematics and battle strategy. A really good chess player has an innate ability to predict what their opponent will do, and is able to make a preemptive strike. Many historians believe that the game of chess was first created in Persia, not as a game, but as an actual battle planning activity. Eventually the game moved to Europe where it was changed and eventually become the game we know and enjoy today.
The biggest problem with chess is that it is a game that requires a great deal of sitting still, staring at the chessboard, and plotting moves. The serious chess player often has a difficult time finding a partner who shares their enthusiasm and passion for the game. Now that almost every single household has a computer and internet connection, chess players that were having a difficult time finding a partner, are suddenly able to play as much chess as they want.
The internet has hundreds of mass chess playing rooms. All a chess player has to do is log into one of these rooms and they will be able to find someone willing to play against them.
The really great thing about the chess playing rooms is that they provide so much more than just chess playing partners. The chess room works towards creating a community of chess players. Interacting with other chess players provides an incredible opportunity to learn new tactics and to make friends who share a passion the game of chess. Before the internet and chess playing rooms, the only opportunity for chess players to get together was at meetings, competitions, and tournaments.
The chess playing rooms have created another phenomenon that no one could have predicted. People who had never expressed more than a passing interest in chess are logging into these rooms and starting to really get into the game. Having a community environment presents these occasional players with an opportunity to develop and grow as a player.
Not everyone is happy with the internet's chess playing rooms. Critics of the internet phenomenon have been quick to point out that part of what makes chess such a great game, is that it forces the two players to develop a personal relationship. The critics feel that the internet chess playing rooms will make the game to impersonal.
At this point, it is difficult to tell how much the internet chess playing rooms are going to change the game. For better or worse, it looks like the chess playing rooms are here to stay.
