Chess: Sport or not?

[Agent Proto]

Okay people. Let's get a new argument out there. This time, it's about the game of chess.

Is it a sport or not?

[Jinx]

No.

[Denmark]

sport
/spôrt/
Noun
An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others.

ex·er·tion
/igˈzərSHən/
Noun
Physical or mental effort.

ef·fort
/ˈefərt/
Noun
1. A vigorous or determined attempt.
2. The result of an attempt.

so if you're chessing REALLY INTENSELY then yes, it's a sport

however most people do not chess like this so i'm gonna have to go with game

e: aulayna you gotta be freaking kidding me this is almost as bad as the soup thing

[Agent Proto]

I hear that the IOC recognizes Chess as a sport, mind you. :greenie:

[Bunny]

How do you play chess really intensely? I suppose if you run between two or more games it could count as physical exertion, but seeing as that is not how much games of chess are played, I will go with a no, it is not a sport.

Though I don't really consider synchronized swimming to be a sport either.

[Del Murder]

Anything you play sitting down isn't a sport.

[Unbreakable Will]

It's recognized as a sport. It's a sport.

:monster:

[Jinx]

Anything you play sitting down isn't a sport.

What about rowing?


Although, yeah, what Del said.

[Bunny]

Anything you play sitting down isn't a sport.

Tebow spent most of last year sitting down. Does that mean he's not an athlete?

[KentaRawr!]

If we're defining exertion as being a physical or mental effort, wouldn't Chess fall under that category?

[Bunny]

No, because "sport" is defined as physical exertion.

[Rebellious Eagle]

No, it's a game. It doesn't require physical exertion.

[Agent Proto]

I guess moving the chess pieces doesn't count as "physical exertion" then?

[Denmark]

physical exertion. exertion that is physical.

definition of "exertion": physical or mental effort. since we have previously specified that the exertion is physical, clearly that means we are referring to physical effort.

definition of "physical" should be quite obvious.

definition of "effort": A vigorous or determined attempt. Vigorous or determined. Are you making a vigorous or determined attempt to move those pieces? Well, unless you're playing with gigantic pieces made of stone or some equally heavy material, the average person (even most below-average people) is not really making a vigorous or determined attempt to physically move the pieces.

of course there is mental exertion involved in chess. no one, i believe, would argue against this point. however, that is not the point of contention regarding the classification of chess as a sport. the point of contention is a physical one. If you classify chess as a "sport", then you are also agreeing to classify other activities with similar physical requirements, such as sitting upright in a chair or reading a book, as sports. If you do this, then, well, you're just a Loony.

edit: also if you're just going by what some organization says rather than forming your own opinion based on logic then well

well

[Agent Proto]

You're forgetting that sport involves skill and competition. Chess requires mental skill to play, and it's very competitive. There are chess tournaments played.

[Jowy]

are you wearing a cup while involved in this activity? if the answer is "yes", you're playing a sport.

[blackmage_nuke]

Anything you play sitting down isn't a sport.

Wheelchair basketball

[escobert]

No, it's a game. It doesn't require physical exertion.

[Del Murder]

I will concede to rowing and wheelchair basketball but ONLY IF the person normally is in a wheelchair. If you are able to play basketball outside a wheelchair and choose to use one to play, then you aren't playing a sport; you're being a dumbass.

[escobert]

It's not nice to call people names :(

[Denmark]

You're forgetting that sport involves skill and competition. Chess requires mental skill to play, and it's very competitive. There are chess tournaments played.

fair point, but:


An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others.

skill and competition does not make an activity a sport. physical exertion, skill, and competition, all together, make an activity a sport. physical exertion is a required component.

[Pumpkin]

Hey, moving those chess pieces is hard. All that wrist movement and the fingers and just... ugh.

[Agent Proto]

Chess is a mind sport though. And I do believe mind sports are considered sport.

[Shiny]

If you aren't playing chess intensely then you aren't playing it right.

[Shorty]

There are no olympic winter mind sports.

It's a damn board game.

[I Took the Red Pill]

Chess is a mind sport though. And I do believe mind sports are considered sport.Really grasping at straws here...

Do you bums have anything to talk about besides inane semantic arguments? Like, what are you going to d o this weekend? Anyways, I'm thirsty. Gonna go grab myself a cup of soup and maybe a can of soda too! (<---- that's an exclamation point, by the way)

[Del Murder]

Agent Proto, your Loony BoB impersonation is spot on.

[blackmage_nuke]

If you are able to play basketball outside a wheelchair and choose to use one to play, then you aren't playing a sport; you're being a dumbass.
I think handicapped nondiscrimination should cut both ways. Walkers should be allowed to play wheelchair basketball :colbert:

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

To play devil's advocate. All mental exertions are physical exertions unless you subscribe to some theory of mind-body dualism. So given that mental activities and physical activities are to a large degree interrelated, quite possibly co-dependent if not co-terminus, then yes at any point you do a mental activity you are necessarily doing a physical activity. Moreover, all physical activity takes mental activity as it roots (with the exception of reflex systems). Partnered with the skill and competitiveness of chess there is an argument to be made for it as a sport.

As for synchro, my sister used to do it. It takes a lot to be good at it. Just because it looks easy does not make it easy. The fact that it looks so easy probably is indicative of a lot of work and training.

More to the point, do I actually care if chess is a sport or not? NO.

[Aulayna]

There are no olympic winter mind sports.

It's a damn board game.

Except the International Olympic Committee classifies it as a sport.

Chess Olympiad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_Olympiad#Recognised_sport)

:)


e: aulayna you gotta be freaking kidding me this is almost as bad as the soup thing

You mean that soup thing where I agreed with the majority? How bad of me.


Do you bums have anything to talk about besides inane semantic arguments? Like, what are you going to d o this weekend? Anyways, I'm thirsty. Gonna go grab myself a cup of soup and maybe a can of soda too! (<---- that's an exclamation point, by the way)

:D Pretty much why I don't bother with EoEO - though it is comedy gold sometimes watching people getting their knickers in a twist over the meanings of a word and frolicking in endless roundabout arguments over it.


The precise definition of what separates a sport from other leisure activities varies between sources, with no universally agreed definition. The closest to an international agreement on a definition is provided by SportAccord (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SportAccord), which is the association for all the largest international sports federations (including association football (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_football), athletics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_(sport)), cycling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling), tennis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis), equestrian sports (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equestrianism) and more), and is therefore the de facto representative of international sport.SportAccord uses the following criteria, determining that a sport should:[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport#cite_note-sportaccord-1)


have an element of competition
be in no way harmful to any living creature
not rely on equipment provided by a single supplier (excluding proprietary games such as arena football (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arena_football))
not rely on any 'luck' element specifically designed in to the sport

They also recognise that sport can be primarily physical (such as rugby (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union) or athletics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_(sport))), primarily mind (such as chess (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess) or go (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(game))), predominantly motorised (such as Formula 1 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_1) or powerboating (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powerboating)), primarily co-ordination (such as billiard sports (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cue_sports)) or primarily animal supported (such as equestrian sport (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equestrianism)).[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport#cite_note-sportaccord-1)
There has been an increase in the application of the term 'sport' to a wider set of non-physical challenges such as electronic sports (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_sports), especially due to the large scale of participation and organised competition, but these are not widely recognised by mainstream sports organisations.

End of Thread.

[roryfwestall]

No for me. I'd classify it as a mind game instead.

[Chemical]

I don't know. Maybe if the pieces were replaced by MMA fighters, and instead of a board it was a cage, and instead of boring people to death there were actually fights to the death. And hot dog vendors.

[Jinx]

Just because something competitive doesn't classify it as a sport.

Next thing you know, you're going to start saying video games are sports.

No, just no.

[Shauna]

Well, they are called eSports...

[kotora]

ITT: nerds being the authority on what constitute sports :monster:

[Slothy]

I want desperately to fall on the side of sports involving what is typically thought of as physical activity, but so long as things like Dressage and shooting are considered sports and even in the Olympics, anyone trying to use that argument to say Chess isn't a sport is probably wrong. Sure, you can argue that all of those things aren't sports and shouldn't be in the Olympics, but the governing body for the premier international sporting event still disagrees.

At best that tells us that while there is some disagreement on what constitutes a sport, physical exertion isn't a pre-requisite under all definitions so referring to Chess as a sport is at least not incorrect based on that criteria.

[Jinx]

ITT: nerds being the authority on what constitute sports :monster:

[Mirage]

Chess is a sport, but chess players aren't athletes. :monster:


To play devil's advocate. All mental exertions are physical exertions unless you subscribe to some theory of mind-body dualism. So given that mental activities and physical activities are to a large degree interrelated, quite possibly co-dependent if not co-terminus, then yes at any point you do a mental activity you are necessarily doing a physical activity. Moreover, all physical activity takes mental activity as it roots

That's not playing the devil's advocate, that's just being right.

I don't think it is a coincidence that many of the top "esports" (that's a dumb term!) players also make sure to stay in good physical health. Your brain is most definitely affected by your general physical health.

[Araciel]

As much as poker.

[Cuchulainn]

Course It's Fucking Not A Sport. What next? Bridge? Poker? Tiddly Fucking winks?

[Quindiana Jones]

A sport must be "in no way harmful to any living creature". I've seen Russians play chess. It cannot be a sport.

[Aulayna]

Judging by how a single stray shirt thread from an opposing players shirt can cause a career threatening injury I'd say that Premier League football isn't a sport anymore either.

[Cuchulainn]

Ah, you're being facetious. Point lost.

[Loony BoB]

Chess is not a sport. A much more interesting debate is whether shooting is a sport.

Also, mind sports? What the hell? Isn't that just called 'thinking'? Give me a minute, I need to mind sport about this for a while.

[Cuchulainn]

'Mind sports' LMAO,

Fair enough, next for debate: Monopoly & the popular TV Quiz, Wheel Of Fortune.

[Quindiana Jones]

Also, rugby uses "sport" as a disguise for its true purpose; inflicting all manner of harm upon your fellow man. The more I think on this, the more I realise nothing counts as a sport anymore. :(

[Formalhaut]

For me? Definitely a game. While I love playing it, I wouldn't say it's a sport.

[Old Manus]

If playing frigging Starcraft is a sport these days (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-sports), I guess chess can be too.

[blackmage_nuke]

Also, rugby uses "sport" as a disguise for its true purpose; inflicting Rubbing all manner of harm body parts upon your fellow man.

[Bunny]

If playing frigging Starcraft is a sport these days (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-sports), I guess chess can be too.

There is a very clear difference between physical sports, like football, and esports, like Starcraft. Nobody in either realm is going to calm, with any real seriousness, that Starcraft is akin to football or baseball.

[Sephiroth]

If you get a circulatory collapse from thinking about how you get the checkmate, then yes, it is sport.

Other than that is just called "sport of brains/thinkers". I mean, math is probably sport then, too. Normally you define "sports" as something physical which can be seen and I don't think about someone sitting at a chess board and sweating because it is a hard turn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvoOBbChxb4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIWYy97-KsQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA1nAE1czuo

Maybe this is chess as a sport and no, I don't mean the battle scene but the game and thinking.

[Old Manus]

If playing frigging Starcraft is a sport these days (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-sports), I guess chess can be too.

There is a very clear difference between physical sports, like football, and esports, like Starcraft. Nobody in either realm is going to calm, with any real seriousness, that Starcraft is akin to football or baseball.Judging by your previous posts in this thread I think it is safe to say you cannot consider playing videogames to be a sport.

[Bubba]

Not for me. Chess is a game, plain and simple.

Not to complicate the issue any further but what do we all think about snooker?

[Rantz]

A sport? I would say so, chess.

[NeoCracker]

Chess can be a sport so long as me telling people on the internet they are wrong can also be a sport.

[blackmage_nuke]

I believe any game that can be described by discreet actions is not a sport. There must be some form of physical quantum action chaos theory is involved. As such games like starcraft which while seem continuous are defined by discreet computer bits is not a sport, neither is chess where each move is a discreet action.

Try to find an exception to that rule

[NeoCracker]

Your Mom.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

i respect people who it it as more than I see it as, as more of a sport

however this tends towards rather heated (and in the extremes) rabid & potentially harmful competition, which i tend to mislike if it turns rather ugli(er), and people are hurt

thusly, i voted no, it is not a sport, i do not treat it as a competetive sport, such as tennis or badmington, tho it IS competitive at times. it's a battle of attrition, and a game wherein to lose is truly to win, as you improve, both in the game's form of logic-based logistical problem-solving, and just in general

if I have kids some day, when they're not reading something they feel like enjoying, or gaming etc. they will learn of the values of cool calm, reason and logic in the face of an adversary trying to bluff you into a blunder

good practice for life, in a way

[NorthernChaosGod]

Not a sport, but is cheerleading? :p

[blackmage_nuke]

Not a sport, but is cheerleading? :p

Well if syncronised swiming is I dont see why not

[Bubba]

Not a sport, but is cheerleading? :p

I'm not entirely sure. If it is though I don't think I'd care who won. I'd just pray it goes the distance.

[Goldenboko]

No but it is an artform.

[Bunny]

Not a sport, but is cheerleading? :p

You have obviously never tried it.

[Rocket Edge]

If Chess is a sport then you could call playing a game of Call of Duty a sport.

[Goldenboko]

If Chess is a sport then you could call playing a game of Call of Duty a sport.

Some people do! :monster:

[NorthernChaosGod]

Not a sport, but is cheerleading? :p

You have obviously never tried it.

When I want to manhandle ~100 lbs, I just go to the gym.

[Bunny]

I kinda feel sorry for your girlfriend.

[NorthernChaosGod]

She weighs more than that. :p