Checkmate or Clickbait? The Identity Crisis of Modern Chess - Has Chess Truly Gone Nano Bananas?
There was a time when the sound of chess was the soft thud of a wooden piece on felt, the click of a clock, and the profound silence of deep concentration. Today, for millions, the sound of chess is the blast of a "POGGERS" emoji, the frantic voice of a streamer, and the digital "chaching" of a Twitch subscription. Chess is in the midst of a revolution, and like all revolutions, it’s messy, polarizing, and leaves traditionalists wondering what was lost in the fire. The catalyst for this seismic shift can be traced directly to the pandemic and the rise of platforms like Chess.com which masterfully packaged the ancient game for the digital age. The pinnacle of this repackaging is the PogChamps tournament. By inviting internet celebrities with, let's be generous, rudimentary chess skills, (putting it very kindly) and having grandmasters provide hilarious and often pained commentary, Chess.com didn't just broadcast a tournament; they created a spec...