Exploring the Parallels and Contrasts Between Online Chess and Online Pokies

In the wake of last year’s World Chess Championship, Brett Tindall, owner of the Sydney Academy of Chess, says the game’s popularity in Australia has never been stronger. He says a recent decline in popularity has reversed over the past three to four years and today, more Aussies are playing chess than ever before in the game’s 1,400-year history.

Experts have credited chess’s new popularity to everything from lockdown boredom to Netflix inspiration in the shape of The Queen’s Gambit. But above all else, the biggest factor is surely accessibility to the game via the internet. Today, there is no need to sit at a board, and we can play anyone, anywhere at any pace.

Of course, that story does not apply exclusively to chess. Plenty of other traditional games have enjoyed a renaissance in popularity through online play. As far as Australians are concerned, one type springs to mind ahead of all others. Australians spend more money per capita on pokies, or slot games as they are known in the rest of the world, than any other nationality. In 2021, the number of Aussies playing pokies online increased by 50 percent, and the number has continued to grow ever since.

Strategic similarities between chess and pokies

At first glance, you might think Australia’s two online gaming passions for adult players could not be more different. But there are some strategic similarities between the two pastimes. The first is the importance of choosing the right platform. There are dozens of online chess platforms, and when it comes to choosing a hub with the best online pokies there are literally hundreds of sites out there specifically aimed at Australian online casino players. Expert impartial reviews are important and help players to find the best deals and promotions.

There are also some parallels within gameplay for chess and pokies. Both demand that players keep a cool head and think strategically as they scrutinize the current state of play and what is likely to happen next. Closely related to this, an ability to measure and assess risk is valuable in both cases, whether you are playing a gambit on the chess board or increasing the stake on the next spin. Being able to analyze the probabilities in terms of risk and return will make you a better player in both cases.

Luck versus strategy

Most would agree, however, that while parallels exist, the games are fundamentally different. Ultimately, chess is a game of deep strategy, while pokies are all about luck. A slot machine behaves according to a mathematical formula into which a house edge of anything from one to eight percent is factored. You might be lucky with the occasional big payout but play long enough and the house will come out on top in the end. No matter how good your strategy or risk management skills, that’s a mathematical certainty.

When you play chess, on the other hand, winning or losing is all down to strategic skill. Play a better strategy than your opponent and you will win every time. It is all in your hands and luck doesn’t come into it.

Room for every type of game

There are similarities in the way players approach both chess and pokies. In this respect, chess players could certainly learn a thing or two from online pokie players and vice versa. But when it comes to the games themselves, they are poles apart, with more differences than similarities.

Which is better than the other? Everyone will have their own opinion on that but suffice it to say that both are enjoying unprecedented popularity in Australia and beyond.