Forums

Is chess a sport or not?

Sort:
zankfrappa
zankfrappa
May 18, 2010
0
#61

In response to Post #60:

My cousins are NASCAR drivers(local track) and all are in good shape.  As I mentioned before NASCAR star Elliot Sadler was a high school star in 6 sports
and there was  a Formula One driver who should have defeated Jeremy Bloom in The Superstars competition if not for a bogus penalty called on him.  Please show me these 300 pound out of shape drivers because I don't know of ONE in NASCAR.

And jockeys are highly conditioned athletes that work out constantly to meet
the rigors and demands of their sport, which is incredibly dangerous and tough
on the body.  They are all chiseled and tough physically and mentally.

Phobetrix
Phobetrix
May 18, 2010
0
#62
zankfrappa wrote:

In response to Post #60:

My cousins are NASCAR drivers(local track) and all are in good shape.  As I mentioned before NASCAR star Elliot Sadler was a high school star in 6 sports
and there was  a Formula One driver who should have defeated Jeremy Bloom in The Superstars competition if not for a bogus penalty called on him.  Please show me these 300 pound out of shape drivers because I don't know of ONE in NASCAR.

And jockeys are highly conditioned athletes that work out constantly to meet
the rigors and demands of their sport, which is incredibly dangerous and tough
on the body.  They are all chiseled and tough physically and mentally.

Yes, agreed about all that, but chess?

LarryTroxler
LarryTroxler
May 18, 2010
0
#63
TheGrobe wrote:

My problem is this:

It seems that many are willing to compromise the definition of the word "sport", presumably due to their passion about chess, and in order to "elevate" it above other games in some way.

The issue is that this involves an implicit value judgement that assumes sports are superior to games.  I just don't see it this way -- the difference is one of kind, not of value.

Why isn't enough to say that chess is the best game?  Within the group of games this value judgement is a far more appropriate way to elevate chess above all other games without resorting to compromising existing definitions, and it's a conclusion I think we can all agree on.

Exactly! Why is it a bad thing to say that chess is a game? If chess is a game, it is arguably the deepest board game ever. It would be tough to find an example of another board game that is so rich in theory, history, creativity, brain-power, and the like.  (well, supposedly "go" is right up there too, and has the advantage that computers aren't yet good at it from what I hear - but I can't comment on go because I never played.)

Ok, well I'm glad that this will be the last thread on whether chess is a sport or not. We all agree that it it is or isn't, depending on the definition of sport? Yes? Good Undecided.  Just like the last resignation thread resolved the issue for good Laughing. 

Maybe the best game/sport in the world would be to bet on when the next resignation or chess==sport thread will start!

Just joking of course.

TheGrobe
TheGrobe
May 18, 2010
0
#64

SchuBomb
SchuBomb
May 18, 2010
0
#65
TheGrobe wrote:

My problem is this:

It seems that many are willing to compromise the definition of the word "sport", presumably due to their passion about chess, and in order to "elevate" it above other games in some way.

The issue is that this involves an implicit value judgement that assumes sports are superior to games.  I just don't see it this way -- the difference is one of kind, not of value.

Why isn't enough to say that chess is the best game?  Within the group of games this value judgement is a far more appropriate way to elevate chess above all other games without resorting to compromising existing definitions, and it's a conclusion I think we can all agree on.

This post, and the venn diagram above, are all anyone needs to know about the topic of "is chess a sport". Thank you for both of them. Did you make the venn diagram, or find it elsewhere?

Elubas
Elubas
May 18, 2010
0
#66

I admit chess is a game, but it can be nice to think of it as a sport for some reason, maybe because it's so competitive and taxing sometimes. It for some reason pleases me to think of chess as a sport, even though it's really not Tongue out

TheGrobe
TheGrobe
May 18, 2010
0
#67
SchuBomb wrote:
TheGrobe wrote:

My problem is this:

It seems that many are willing to compromise the definition of the word "sport", presumably due to their passion about chess, and in order to "elevate" it above other games in some way.

The issue is that this involves an implicit value judgement that assumes sports are superior to games.  I just don't see it this way -- the difference is one of kind, not of value.

Why isn't enough to say that chess is the best game?  Within the group of games this value judgement is a far more appropriate way to elevate chess above all other games without resorting to compromising existing definitions, and it's a conclusion I think we can all agree on.

This post, and the venn diagram above, are all anyone needs to know about the topic of "is chess a sport". Thank you for both of them. Did you make the venn diagram, or find it elsewhere?

I made it this-afternoon.

SchuBomb
SchuBomb
May 18, 2010
0
#68

In that case, nice work!

FlowerFlowers
FlowerFlowers
May 22, 2010
0
#69

yeah I also like it. nice.

  so I'm wondering would dance be a sport? like say for instance ..the tango? they have competitions.  We might have to redefine the word sport officially if this confusion isn't settled.

Phobetrix
Phobetrix
May 27, 2010
0
#70
FlowerFlowers wrote:

yeah I also like it. nice.

  so I'm wondering would dance be a sport? like say for instance ..the tango? they have competitions.  We might have to redefine the word sport officially if this confusion isn't settled.

I think it is really all about how individuals conceive the word. And that might vary between language groups and between cultures. My view is biased such that "sport" would have to be a physical contest, so dance would be included, just as much as dancing on skates. But to me, chess would not be in the sport category.

zankfrappa
zankfrappa
May 27, 2010
0
#71


     After watching all those tough NFL players struggle to improve on "Dancing With The Stars" I would have to conclude dancing is a sport.