THE HISTORIAN IS RIGHT

This quote from Raymond Chandler also appears in THIS CRAZY WORLD OF
CHESS by GM Larry Evans in his tribute to Arnold Denker. Hailed by the
publisher (Cardoza) as "the most controversial book ever written about
chess," it is due to reach bookstores this October. 20% off $9.95 is
ordered online from www.cardozapub.com

Yet players were penniless and people held them in low esteem. "Chess
is as elaborate a waste of human intelligence as you can
find outside of an advertising agency," sneered novelist Raymond
Chandler.

In 1944 Arnie captured the USA Championship and gave exhibitions
at military bases. After the war, when the USSR crushed the USA in a
1945
radio match, he lamented, "Chess requires you full-time, but it
doesn't
assure you anywhere near an adequate income. The sooner we realize
this,
the sooner America will regain its prestige as the leading chess
nation."
Arnie had to go into business to support his family, then retired to
Florida with a bundle and financed scholastic chess. "Passing the
torch on
to the next generation was his great passion. It was his life, after
his family,"
said one of his sons.


The Historian wrote:
On Sep 17, 8:19 am, " wrote:

One can certainly debate whether chess is a waste
of time and intellectual energy (Raymond Chandler once
termed it the greatest waste of talent save for
Stalinist apologetics),

"Chess is as elaborate a waste of human intelligence as you can find
outside an advertising agency." I believe that's the quotation you
meant.