Why are there very less people playing Classical?

I want to play classical

go to an otb tournament

I want to play to practice

Classical games are long, often lasting several hours. Many players, especially casual ones, don't have the time or patience to dedicate to such lengthy games.

In an OTB tournament, I can wander around the room looking at other games, occasionally engaging in conversation with other players, and can see the buttons on my clock from across the room. When I play a slow game online, I am glued to the screen.

That’s bad enough. But also, the chances of my opponent employing assistance grows with every minute added to the length of the game.

The overwhelming majority of members on this site are twitchy, sub-20 year old, bullet-addicted dopamine goblins. i doubt more than 5% of people here have even played a 30 min game, let alone classical time controls.

https://www.lichess4545.com/team4545/

Thankfully, and not at all sarcastically, some of us are over 20 year old dopamine goblins who hate bullet but do play classical 😅

Also they can stall the game whenever they want

I remember when I was playing classical I played this dude named RobartLangdon or something. He would play the longest possible set TCs chess.com had to offer. His rapid was always around 2400~, not because he was any good, but whenever he started to lose he would stall and since the games were so unbelievably long the opponents would just resign to get it over with. This just reminded me of that story.

I was over 20 before there was an internet. I still get off on three minute chess, but don’t enjoy bullet as much as when I was a youngster in my 40s.

I play 3-5 weekend OTB Swiss tournaments most years. Placed first in one in 2023.

Good man. I do similar, have a list of my recent ones on my profile. Will be doing one in april next at least too. Love classical chess, but goodness me does it wipe you out after round five haha

Since sometime in my 40s, I always take a third round bye. Even so, I’m usually exhausted on Monday.

My best result ever was 2nd place in 2012 behind IM John Donaldson who won five games. I won all four of mine. 64 players. One master, five experts, 12 A class players. In round four I beat an A class player who had been an expert, and also twice a grade-restricted national champion. In round five, I beat one of the experts.

I’ve placed first in three weekend Swisses, as well as more than 20 other OTB events, but that second place was a stronger result.

Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I blame covid/the chess boom and chess streamers because of how many "casuals" have been brought into the game who don't really have the patience to actually play chess.