An unknown ecclesiastic of the 17th century has penned a vivid description of the kind of appeal that chess exerts. He calls it "The Evils of Chess" (20):
I. It is a great time-waster. How many precious hours (which
can never be recalled) have I profusely spent in this game!
II. It hath had with me a fascinating property;
I have been bewitched by it: when I have begun, I have not had the
power to give over.
III. It hath not done with me, when I have done with it. It
hath followed me into my study, into my pulpit; when I have been
praying or preaching, I have (in my thoughts) been playing at chess;
than I have had, as it were, a chess-board before my eyes. . . .
IV. It hath caused me to break many solemn resolutions; nay,
vows and promises. Sometimes I have obliged myself, in the most
solemn manner, to play but so many mates at a time, or with any one
person, and anon I have broken these obligations and promises. . .
V. It hath wounded my conscience and broken my peace. I
have had sad reflections upon it, when I have been most serious. I
find, if I were now to die, the remembrance of this game would
greatly trouble me and stare me in the face. I have read in the
life of the famous John Huss, how he was greatly troubled, for his
using of this game, a little before his death.
VI. My using of it hath occasioned much sin, as passion,
strife, idle (if not lying) words, in myself and my antagonist, or
both. It hath caused the neglect of many duties both to God and
men...
From Harley, E. "The Harleyan Miscellany", R.
Dutton, London, 1808-1811,
as cited by Reubin Fine, "The Psychology of the Chess
Player", Dover, NY (1956), p. 7.