[ Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Derek Pugh
Colour: Red
Date: 22 Mar 2010
Time: 21:24:04 -0000
Remote Name: 77.103.194.21
It’s easy to identify reasons for decline (a lot of which are inter-related), but harder to know what to do about it e.g. 1. Not played so much in schools 2. Lack of media coverage 3. Poor public image 4. Increased working hours and pressures 5. Fewer people prepared to organise 6. Increased range of other entertainments (e.g. internet based) 7. Can play on internet and using software, so less need for face-to-face play For example, regarding media coverage, I was listening to BBC Radio 5 when England were playing Russia in the Olympiad. They were quite happy to report on some Football Conference matches, or early rounds of a snooker tournament, but no mention of the chess. I sent the BBC an e-mail about it – no reply. To gauge interest further you only have to look at the ‘indoor games’ sections in most large bookshops. Loads of poker and sudoku, but not nearly so much chess as there used to be.