Summary: Ever wonder why the kid who gets beaten up for his love of chess keeps coming back to the game that is the source of his grief? Antony J. Puddephatt thinks the answer lies in examining amatuer chess as a “greedy instituion” that works through five elements ((1) isolation from competing social spheres; (2) encapsulation within a symbolic status structure; (3) a collective feeling of elite status; (4) trials of worthiness; and (5) prestructured ritual) to foster commitment amongst players.