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Future of Chess: Rapid and Chess960?

I agree with the majority of points.
In my opinion, making chess marketable is often only partially possible, as the more attractive it is for the viewers, the less of its greatest values remain. (I am referring to bullet games and to the thrilling finales of blitz games with almost no time left, which are unlikely to teach us critical thinking, analysis, deeper thinking, identifying the critical positions.) That said, I completely agree with Dimitar that it would be good to see more of rapid and Chess960, and this paragraph does not question his views.
I am not hoping for removal of classical chess, most of the contemporary young stars can play extremely interesting games nowadays. (I can surely play interesting chess, but my games from the recent strong round-robin tournaments rarely testify that.) When one is aged below 30, equipped with trainers and with a sponsor, it is much easier to invest a plenty of energy, come with fresh ideas and take risks.
In my opinion, the problem is that although there are many players ready to play Chess960 when a fitting opportunity comes, the number of sponsors and organizers is much lower compared to classical chess. Say, three or four times fewer players, but hundred times fewer sponsors or organisers. (At least in my part of the world, one with many interesting tournaments in general, yet few attractive Chess960 events.)

I agree with the majority of points. In my opinion, making chess marketable is often only partially possible, as the more attractive it is for the viewers, the less of its greatest values remain. (I am referring to bullet games and to the thrilling finales of blitz games with almost no time left, which are unlikely to teach us critical thinking, analysis, deeper thinking, identifying the critical positions.) That said, I completely agree with Dimitar that it would be good to see more of rapid and Chess960, and this paragraph does not question his views. I am not hoping for removal of classical chess, most of the contemporary young stars can play extremely interesting games nowadays. (I can surely play interesting chess, but my games from the recent strong round-robin tournaments rarely testify that.) When one is aged below 30, equipped with trainers and with a sponsor, it is much easier to invest a plenty of energy, come with fresh ideas and take risks. In my opinion, the problem is that although there are many players ready to play Chess960 when a fitting opportunity comes, the number of sponsors and organizers is much lower compared to classical chess. Say, three or four times fewer players, but hundred times fewer sponsors or organisers. (At least in my part of the world, one with many interesting tournaments in general, yet few attractive Chess960 events.)

Great points by GM @RealDavidNavara, as always very rational views. I'd like to add that for the vast majority of players, the future of chess is not in question. When >95% of players are hardly concerned by deep engine preparation and overanalyzed openings, I think it is difficult to argue chess960 replacing chess. There is no reason for most players to hop onto the chess960 train - other than it being less familiar and agreeably provides new terrain to explore.
Trust me, in my 2100 chess environment (league, tournaments, etc.) I still see people (including me) staggering around in their openings, kind of playing by feel. Sure, there are some people booked up to the teeth with chessable courses, but that's not the rule. I still hope chess960 will find its place in the chess scene. It is, after all, an interesting variant and mixing it up sometimes (such as the Carlsen tournaments) brings fresh air indeed.

Great points by GM @RealDavidNavara, as always very rational views. I'd like to add that for the vast majority of players, the future of chess is not in question. When >95% of players are hardly concerned by deep engine preparation and overanalyzed openings, I think it is difficult to argue chess960 replacing chess. There is no reason for most players to hop onto the chess960 train - other than it being less familiar and agreeably provides new terrain to explore. Trust me, in my 2100 chess environment (league, tournaments, etc.) I still see people (including me) staggering around in their openings, kind of playing by feel. Sure, there are some people booked up to the teeth with chessable courses, but that's not the rule. I still hope chess960 will find its place in the chess scene. It is, after all, an interesting variant and mixing it up sometimes (such as the Carlsen tournaments) brings fresh air indeed.

@alp_arslan92 said in #3:

When >95% of players are hardly concerned by deep engine preparation and overanalyzed openings

Huh?
Of course, those who are concerned by deep opening preparation constitute much more than 5%. You miss a crucial thing: those who are concerned and disappointed just don't stay in chess anymore, or at least they quit playing. You don't count them?

People quit chess because the traditional variant is for them 1) No longer exciting and perhaps plain boring (with all the repeated patterns, TBs of accumulated chess theory, and the inability to invent anything new), whereas 2) Playing chess in general doesn't provide for a good and/or stable source of income. Of course, at the same time some still keep playing or teaching because of addiction ("love-hate relationship") or for some kind of income (having learnt no other profession), or because of the human factor (friends), but it that good when the core of the occupation is not really attractive anymore, when it became a routine - very stressful and financially shaky at that?

Before Magnus/Buettner efforts (now supported by Left Lane Capital, fortunately), chess960 has existed as a minor variant (like atomic), played overwhelmingly with blitz or rapid time controls, unrated, with a very scarce coverage, without a fair OTB world championship contest, known under a confusingly many number of names, etc. It has never been taken seriously. Even the Mainz championships organized by Hans-Walter Schmitt for 9 consecutive years (big thanks to him anyway!) were, after all, just rapid tournaments.

Give people the REAL opportunity to play competitive chess960 with all that implies, i.e. all that we are having in the black-and-white TV set (sorry - traditional chess): World Chess960 Federation (or World Freestyle Chess Federation, if you please); the official calendar, first of all the full-fledged World Championship cycle - which, obviously, comes with the World Federation; classic time controls recognized as the standard; the ratings, titles, national championships; huge web portals dedicated exclusively to chess960... etc, etc. And you'll see a drastic increase in the number of players. My rough estimate is that there'll be at least twice more players, if not three or four times more than now.

We'll have both 1) the inflow of fresh blood interested in "learning to think independently from the very beginning" (their parents also interested in distracting kids from Tiktoks, shooter videogames, hamster combats, knife street fights and other bullsh.t) and 2) the return of old aficionados who'd like to play from time to time but are too tired of the worn-off #518 patterns and computer-made TBs of theory.

@alp_arslan92 said in #3: > When >95% of players are hardly concerned by deep engine preparation and overanalyzed openings Huh? Of course, those who are concerned by deep opening preparation constitute much more than 5%. You miss a crucial thing: those who are concerned and disappointed just don't stay in chess anymore, or at least they quit playing. You don't count them? People quit chess because the traditional variant is for them 1) No longer exciting and perhaps plain boring (with all the repeated patterns, TBs of accumulated chess theory, and the inability to invent anything new), whereas 2) Playing chess in general doesn't provide for a good and/or stable source of income. Of course, at the same time some still keep playing or teaching because of addiction ("love-hate relationship") or for some kind of income (having learnt no other profession), or because of the human factor (friends), but it that good when the core of the occupation is not really attractive anymore, when it became a routine - very stressful and financially shaky at that? Before Magnus/Buettner efforts (now supported by Left Lane Capital, fortunately), chess960 has existed as a minor variant (like atomic), played overwhelmingly with blitz or rapid time controls, unrated, with a very scarce coverage, without a fair OTB world championship contest, known under a confusingly many number of names, etc. It has never been taken seriously. Even the Mainz championships organized by Hans-Walter Schmitt for 9 consecutive years (big thanks to him anyway!) were, after all, just rapid tournaments. Give people the REAL opportunity to play competitive chess960 with all that implies, i.e. all that we are having in the black-and-white TV set (sorry - traditional chess): World Chess960 Federation (or World Freestyle Chess Federation, if you please); the official calendar, first of all the full-fledged World Championship cycle - which, obviously, comes with the World Federation; classic time controls recognized as the standard; the ratings, titles, national championships; huge web portals dedicated exclusively to chess960... etc, etc. And you'll see a drastic increase in the number of players. My rough estimate is that there'll be at least twice more players, if not three or four times more than now. We'll have both 1) the inflow of fresh blood interested in "learning to think independently from the very beginning" (their parents also interested in distracting kids from Tiktoks, shooter videogames, hamster combats, knife street fights and other bullsh.t) and 2) the return of old aficionados who'd like to play from time to time but are too tired of the worn-off #518 patterns and computer-made TBs of theory.

Scenario 1: a professional chess player finds enough sponsorship available, so does not give up traditional chess

scenario 2: an expert player in a small community finds that it's no longer good enough to always play Alekhine's Defence and gives up traditional chess. He becomes a writer and online 960 player while waiting for the sponsorship tides to turn

Scenario A: Ding & Gukesh play world championship and I want my spectator's worth so full classical for them thank you very much work up a sweat guys and yeah let them study openings as well using the very latest AI, after all who knows when the knowledge might come in handy

Scenario B: uh yeah gotta go sleep in my own place no tournaments that take more than most of one day please

Rapid is still proper 960/standard.

Blitz is lower quality chess and should be brought on more gradually as a tie breaker. Anyway a 2 second increment is not enough we all know the tricks some players on the lower levels commit and do we really need to induce blunders?

If you are not a professional player, why torture yourself to create a parody of a professional? So in 960 I see a smoother transition between who's just playing for fun and who can afford to take it more seriously, I hope that while the traditional world championship should not fall away it should become a smaller event than a fair 960 world championship. Hybrid mode tournaments could make qualification more affordable/attainable for most

Scenario 1: a professional chess player finds enough sponsorship available, so does not give up traditional chess scenario 2: an expert player in a small community finds that it's no longer good enough to always play Alekhine's Defence and gives up traditional chess. He becomes a writer and online 960 player while waiting for the sponsorship tides to turn Scenario A: Ding & Gukesh play world championship and I want my spectator's worth so full classical for them thank you very much work up a sweat guys and yeah let them study openings as well using the very latest AI, after all who knows when the knowledge might come in handy Scenario B: uh yeah gotta go sleep in my own place no tournaments that take more than most of one day please Rapid is still proper 960/standard. Blitz is lower quality chess and should be brought on more gradually as a tie breaker. Anyway a 2 second increment is not enough we all know the tricks some players on the lower levels commit and do we really need to induce blunders? If you are not a professional player, why torture yourself to create a parody of a professional? So in 960 I see a smoother transition between who's just playing for fun and who can afford to take it more seriously, I hope that while the traditional world championship should not fall away it should become a smaller event than a fair 960 world championship. Hybrid mode tournaments could make qualification more affordable/attainable for most

Un ajedrez de 7 horas no es concordante con el comercio del mundo actual. Estoy por uno de tres horas hasta cuatro máximo. Allí los súper GM tendrían presión de tiempo o hacer tablas rápidas. O abandonar un final perdido. Lo que dejaría muchas interrogantes. Con tres horas máximo sería más apto para el calendario ( dos rondas por día por ejemplo) daría más facilidad de agenda a los aficionados y podría tener una posibilidad en medios tradicionales como la tv.

Un ajedrez de 7 horas no es concordante con el comercio del mundo actual. Estoy por uno de tres horas hasta cuatro máximo. Allí los súper GM tendrían presión de tiempo o hacer tablas rápidas. O abandonar un final perdido. Lo que dejaría muchas interrogantes. Con tres horas máximo sería más apto para el calendario ( dos rondas por día por ejemplo) daría más facilidad de agenda a los aficionados y podría tener una posibilidad en medios tradicionales como la tv.