I was just reading the posts for "is chess racist?" and saw that some how the discussion had shifted to what qualifies for a sport... I have no idea how, but these sorts of things do seem to happen.  Anyway, I thought that was something that could have its own forum.  So, what do you think?  is chess a sport?

 

 

Chess is also and sport.

Amen 

Chess can be called a sport, sure.  Really though, it's a game.  A great game but a game.  And don't get me wrong, games are no less important than sports.  However, chess is a game, just as monopoly is a game.

Go chess! 

That's not an argument ih8sens as tennis is a game too, while people do consider it a sport. So what are the criteria for something to be a sport as opposed to a game? I think something becomes a sport (wether it is a game or not) when there are championships for it.

Let's start a monopoly worldchampionship!

Chess is not a sport.  Here's how I tell:  Do I spill my beer when I'm playing it?  No?  Then it's not a sport.

Goooood point, TheGrobe. I think the only time any beer spilt the last time we met was when I slammed my fist down on the table in frustration for you continually beating me.

Why then do they show snooker on eurosport?

"Sport" according to Websters: Adjective 1. (Maine colloquial) temporary summer resident in inland Maine. Noun 1. An active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition. 2. The occupation of athletes who compete for pay. 3. Someone who engages in sports. 4. An organism that has characteristics resulting from chromosomal alteration. 5. Verbal wit (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously); "he became a figure of fun". Verb 1. Wear or display in an ostentatious or proud manner; "she was sporting a new hat". 2. Play boisterously; "The children frolicked in the garden"; "the gamboling lambs in the meadows"; "The toddlers romped in the palyroom". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

Etymology : Middle English, to divert, disport, short for disporten
Pronunciation : spOrt, sport
Function : verb
Date : 15th century

---

1. game, athletic competition (especially one held outside); athletic activities collectively; recreation; jest; mockery; fair or sportsmanlike person (Informal); one known for the manner in which he follows rules and gets along with others (Informal). frolic, play; engage in sports; ridicule; trifle, joke, tease; show off, display ostentatiously. sport\sport\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. sported; p. pr. & vb. n. sporting.].
2. to play; to frolic; to wanton. [fish], sporting with quick glance, show to the sun their waved coats dropt with gold.
3. to practice the diversions of the field or the turf; to be given to betting, as upon races.
4. to trifle. "he sports with his own life.".
5. (bot. & zo?l.) to assume suddenly a new and different character from the rest of the plant or from the type of the species; -- said of a bud, shoot, plant, or animal. see: sport, n., 6.
6. That which diverts, and makes mirth; pastime; amusement.
7. Mock; mockery; contemptuous mirth; derision.
8. That with which one plays, or which is driven about in play; a toy; a plaything; an object of mockery.
9. Play; idle jingle.
10. Diversion of the field, as fowling, hunting, fishing, racing, games, and the like, esp. when money is staked.
11. A plant or an animal, or part of a plant or animal, which has some peculiarity not usually seen in the species; an abnormal variety or growth.
12. See Sporting plant, under Sporting.
13. A sportsman; a gambler.
14. To play; to frolic; to wanton.
15. To practice the diversions of the field or the turf; to be given to betting, as upon races.
16. To trifle.
17. To assume suddenly a new and different character from the rest of the plant or from the type of the species; said of a bud, shoot, plant, or animal.
18. See Sport, n., 6.
19. To divert; to amuse; to make merry; used with the reciprocal pronoun.
20. To represent by any knd of play.
21. To exhibit, or bring out, in public; to use or wear; as, to sport a new equipage.
22. To give utterance to in a sportive manner; to throw out in an easy and copious manner; with off; as, to sport off epigrams. an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition the occupation of athletes who compete for pay temporary summer resident of inland Maine someone who engages in sports wear or display in an ostentatious or proud manner; "she was sporting a new hat".
23. 1. Sports are games such as football and basketball and other competitive leisure activities which need physical effort and skill. I'd say football is my favourite sport She excels at sport Billy turned on a radio to get the sports news.
24. approval If you say that someone is a sport or a good sport, you mean that they cope with a difficult situation or teasing in a cheerful way. He was accused of having no sense of humor, of not being a good sport.

According to wikipedia, which is in my opinion accurate:

Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.

 So there is no need for that activity to be physical

Of course chess is a sport. Spilling beer while playing is no criterion. Do baseball players spill their beer? Yes, after the game is over. Several years ago, someone at a major university did a study on chess and the heart rate. The heart rate of a tournament player actually goes up near that of a professional boxer fighting several rounds. Chess is definitely a sport. Is tiddly-winks a sport>? No!

When you play 4 hours your match on tournament and afther match you feel so tired,need 2l of water,fruits,energy,go in room afther match,anaysle your game then go to sleep you need to rest rest for tomorrow's match...then you understand that chess is also and sport.

chess is not a sport ...sadly. It is a game.

Although it should be considered "officially" a sport if poker is a sport 

Well i know i would feel pretty silly if someone asked me "Do you play any sports?" and i answered "yes, chess."  I just couldnt do that with a straight face... 

 

Heart rate is a really bad measure.   For example 'getting excited' increases heart rate, but isnt a sport.  Same goes for 'getting scared'.  Really, for it to be good for you, and a good guide for whether it could be a sport is, you need to be 'getting out of breath'.  

Some chess historian will perhaps know the details for this (or tell me I'm wrong), but I seem to recall having read somewhere that there was some to do over how to categorize chess books for the dewey decimal system (or perhaps some older library categorization scheme)... and that the leading chess players of the day were adamant that chess be categorized as an art, not sport.

To me, chess is a game that can "crossover" into sport. At the highest levels and when truly dealing with exhaustion, you can see the sport angle. Also, unlike monopoly that was mentioned earlier, there is no "chance of the dice," which to me seperates it from most all games.

The flip side of this is playing chess with my younger kids....that to me has a feel of a game completely.

Let's all toy around with definitions all day!  Whoopee!

This is pointless and empty. 

Wow. I agree. If poker is an official sport, chess must be considered one as well.

The game argument is pointless....

Tennis is a game, football is a game but both are considered sports

Running 500m is not a game, but it is still a sport though