SAD History Lesson
Back in the early 1400's, chess became super popular in a European community. There was a certain group of people in particular who were especially enthusiastic about the game. They would meet up to play chess with each other at every opportunity.
Eventually, this obsession with playing chess caught the attention of the church leaders who noticed that members of this group were skipping church to play chess instead.
This was seen as blasphemous, and they were ordered to stop immediately.
Unfortunately, the draw of the game proved too strong for these chess aficionados and after continuing to defy the church, they were arrested and tried for heresy.
They were found guilty and sentenced to be burned at the stake. This public execution, held in the town square, became the very first record of chess nuts roasting on an open fire.
There's another side we seldom hear about. I had a good friend co-worker (also named Jack) who was a 'little' bit odd. He loved chess and once a week his chess club would meet in a local bar to drink, smoke and play chess. I think the actually playing was incidental to the drinking, smoking and comradery.