Famous chess player Nigel Short, an atheist, believes religion is a construct of control through power and has no place in chess. Instead, he argues that seeking truth and reading classical literature are far better pursuits than attending church or believing in a deity.
“Religion has got, you know, it’s all to do with tradition and power structures. And that’s really power - that’s what it’s always been used for,” he said.
“The whole point about religion is: it is accepting. It is faith, so it’s not based on evidence. And that’s exactly the opposite of what you need for chess. You need an inquiring mind, and if you’re not ruthless in your inquiry, then you never make progress.
“It is very rare to find any chess player who believes in a god,” he said