# Does playing chess qualify as a date? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 29, 2015, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851 "2015-04-29T22:53:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/21 "2015-04-30T12:49:39Z")
> [@Umbridge](#): > > I want opinions. What do you think? > > Say someone asks you on a date and arranges the date at a park on a weekend or holiday. On the date, the only thing you do is play chess. If your date beats you in the game, would you accept the next one? If you’re both into chess, and you had fun, I’d consider it a date. Even without food. If you think food is important, bring a bag or Doritos. Or an entire packed picnic basket. the question isn’t whether your date beat you – it’s whether you both had fun. If you wanted to work sex into it, suggest playing Strip Chess. Although doing this in a public park would probably be frowned on. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/22 "2015-04-30T12:55:44Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Isn’t the first date a bit too soon for mating? _:golf clap:_ Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/23 "2015-04-30T13:21:21Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > And surely she checked before she mated It’s a different kind of date, where you don’t look forward to getting forked. ETA: I wish I were clever enough to work “zugzwang” into this. ---
**Author:** ![Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ac8455/32.png) [@Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Your_Great_Darsh_Face)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/24 "2015-04-30T14:37:02Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > It’s a different kind of date, where you don’t look forward to getting forked. > > ETA: I wish I were clever enough to work “zugzwang” into this. I’ve been on zugzwang dates, believe me - where any move you make is going to be to your disadvantage. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/25 "2015-04-30T15:04:05Z")
Yes, chess can certainly be a date. It’s a good way to get to know someone, to see if you like them and by spending time with someone you will know if you’re interested in more than just friendship. Most conventional dates are probably more like going to dinner and a movie or to a party. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/26 "2015-04-30T16:22:13Z")
i had a date with someone who wanted to go. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/27 "2015-04-30T16:38:24Z")
In the park, nice day, together, probably a bottle of wine (I know I never play chess without one). Yes, Houston, we have a date. When I lived in Bern, Switzerland, a young lady and I would meet in the park at one of their big (about three or four feet tall) chess sets for afternoon dates…and yes, on occasion, we would actually play chess. Woody Allen has a line in “What’s New Pussy Cat” about playing strip chess with a girlfriend, but he always faints before the end…so yeah it qualifies as a date. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/28 "2015-04-30T16:40:48Z")
The OP is no longer with us that we might educate her the ways of sexy time. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/29 "2015-04-30T16:49:17Z")
It may have been a BAD date (I wasn’t there- you tell ME), but it was still a date. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/30 "2015-04-30T17:46:11Z")
I wonder if anyone has invented strip chess. Probably, but I’m at work and I’m damn well not going to Google it now. If not, patent applied for. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/31 "2015-04-30T18:55:40Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I wonder if anyone has invented strip chess. Probably, but I’m at work and I’m damn well not going to Google it now. > > If not, patent applied for. 😃 I know it’s been talked and written about before – my citation above isn’t original. The interesting part is assigning values to different pieces – you know, like a pawn is a handkerchief or a shoe. A rook would be a blouse, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/32 "2015-04-30T19:01:32Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Did she ‘King you’ (yes I know but it’s the same board) Immediately makes me think of: > [@Arrested Development](#): > > Lindsay: Oh, no, no, not you. Bob’s daughter, Hope. If I can get Hope this crown, maybe her father might just want to crown me, if you know what I mean. > > Michael: I’m guessing “have sex”, but that’s meeting you more than halfway. > > \ > > GOB: So I step in and, uh, lay her crown upon my sweet head. > > Michael: Have I missed this euphemism? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/33 "2015-05-01T00:12:11Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I know it’s been talked and written about before – my citation above isn’t original. > > The interesting part is assigning values to different pieces – you know, like a pawn is a handkerchief or a shoe. A rook would be a blouse, maybe. Damn missed the reference - at least consciously. Randomly assigning piece values could lead to some interesting games. And interesting commentary White moved her bishop to defend her underwear… ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/34 "2015-05-01T01:51:18Z")
I have gotten a date to play strip Rock Band (the video game) several times. Whoever scores a lower score on a song takes something off. Before long you’re playing drums in your underwear. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851/35 "2015-05-01T02:21:18Z")
Given the OP’s banning, I’m going to close this thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-playing-chess-qualify-as-a-date/718851.md?page=1)