It's an old debate, a question of definition.
For me, it is more of a sport than for instance long distance running, where often only one percent of the field actually COMPETE, the rest just do it for fun or exercise.
At least chess is competitive, even at the lowest levels. You have an opponent, which to me is an integral part of sport.
What? Did you just make this up? What races are you going to?
chess is a waste of time...come waste your time with me and we play the game sport....
Chess is a game. Like other posters said, a lot of games that aren't sports are competitive, so that's a false argument. I'd say sport requires some sort of physical skill, which chess does not. Although you may disagree if you see Nakamura play OTB bullet chess :P
This old hat?
I'll say again what I've said in every other one of these threads:
If I don't spill my beer while playing it, it's not a sport.
Knocking over my dad's beer in wiffle ball was always an automatic out when we played.
It's an old debate, a question of definition.
For me, it is more of a sport than for instance long distance running, where often only one percent of the field actually COMPETE, the rest just do it for fun or exercise.
At least chess is competitive, even at the lowest levels. You have an opponent, which to me is an integral part of sport.
What? Did you just make this up? What races are you going to?
eg, the Comrades Ultra Marathon in South Africa, over 15000 runners, fewer than 10 manage to come within the approximately 5h30 min of the winner. Over half the field make the 11 hour cut-off with less than half an hour to spare....
As pointed out, IOC qualifies chess as a sport along with motorcycling, billiard, bridge and different air sports, so there is not much to argue.
If it is a sport or a game is a question that everyone can answer individually, it can certainly be both.
As pointed out, IOC qualifies chess as a sport along with motorcycling, billiard, bridge and different air sports, so there is not much to argue.
That just shows the folly of the IOC, not any concrete fact.
As always, this is a discussion about the definitions of "sport" and "game", not about the virtues of chess -- chess is just the vehicle for this particular discussion.
What about competitive eating?
Radio endurance contests? (Like being the last one to remove your hand from a vehicle...)
Video game competitions?
Playing the lottery?
I've seen definitions of sport that would include all of these -- where exactly is the line drawn?
if you call chess a sport it's because your a chess nerd that doesn't watch or partake in REAL sports. There is no question whether or not it is a sport if you are not a nerd.
Candyland is not a sport. tic tac toe is not a sport. typing is not a sport. washing dishes is not a sport. blowing up balloons is not a sport. If you argue that chess is a sport by some lame definition of what a sport is then you can qualify all mental processes as sports which means there is no category of "sports" and "not sports" because EVERYTHING would be a sport.
Well, folly or not.. IOC is a committe with a power to name which competive activity is enough to qualify as sport - same cannot be said about you or anyone else.
I'm used to seeing chess and several board games (that are not decided by the factor of luck) being refered to as mind sports and never had any problems with it:P
IOC decides what is a potential Olympic sport for the purpose of considering it for inclusion in the Olympic Games.
They aren't the authority on deciding the definition of "sport" or "game" (or any other words, for that matter) and their inclusion of chess and bridge is purely for their own internal purposes, not to serve as a barometer that we should all defer to.
Ultra-marathons..yeouch...I thought you were refering to something a little more reasonable (non-suicidal) when you said long distance, like 10ks, or even marathons. In that case, I see your point, but for those who DO compete, even that would be considered a sport
Just so, TheGrobe.
First definition for sport in the dictionary runs: an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.
This agrees with my view above when I said "I'd say sport requires some sort of physical skill".
Are you the authority of deciding the definition then ?
I am thinking that no matter how big you bold out the word "games" in the term "olympic games", there could not be any activity there that in any way could not be seen as sports. And it is nonsense to now claim that olympic games is an event that gathers up games and is not related to sports.
If a committee that is solely responsible for naming the sports for the biggest competive event in the world of sports sees chess enough to qualify, you just have to deal with it.
Also, if you wish to rely on wikipedia, do not overlook this part: "Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determinant of the outcome (winning or losing), but the term is also used to include activities such as mind sports (a common name for some card games and board games with little to no element of chance) and motor sports where mental acuity or equipment quality are major factors."
I saw chess on British TV when Short played Kasparov for the PCA World Championship.
British TV also used to have a regular chess programme in the 1980s.
The TV programme was called the Master game and was introduced by Bill Hartson and If I remember rightly Ray Keene did the expert analysis.