And sure, the skill element is still there for people, that doesn't change. Becoming a chess grandmaster is still a very impressive feat. But the way top chess matches are played nowadays, is that players have to be completely shielded from external stimuli, otherwise their coach or a friend could simply tell them the absolute best move. There was even a scandal a few years ago where one coach was making suspicious movements with his hands touching his face, making people believe he was signalling his player what move to make. That's why noone can even be in the field of vision of the players anymore, because it can be as easy as making a slight :O face for someone you know in the audience which means move your knight, which he got radio'd in by someone inputting the game on his PC. Online chess is basically voided because Fritz can beat all the grandmasters. I mean it's great for training your own skills and analytical thinking, but if the answer is a simple computer program away and you were only in it for the sport, then it's kinda lame.
I hope you can now understand why I find it unappealing.
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