is it a sport or no?

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) classifies it as a sport.

depending on what you believe, in high school at least, cheerleading is a sport, which i disagree with, but that's what it is

It's a martial art.

 Archery ?

No it is not a sport, sports are charatized by physical activities. It's just simply a board game, the grand daddy of board games.

 There is a reason chess is the also the most respected "game" in the world, prestige, etc. 

are you saying your mind is not a physical thing ?

A mind brings forth an action. Physical action is performed by the mind.  The mind is the commander of action, not the other way around.

Don't get me wrong chess is the best mental game you can play. But it can't fit into sports because it doesn't have a physical aspect. Maybe chess and poker and other worthy games can be subgames in a new word meaning "a mental competive sport". Its just a matter of time before someone invents some word ofcourse.

I agree.  While many consider it a sport, like poker, it lacks the physical aspects I associate with a sport.  Mental activity is not physical.

sitting for hours takes stamina-sitzfleisch (german for sitting flesh )  nigel short said his pulse can go over 120 bpm just sitting there, that about my target heart rate for excersize so you might say its a physical activity...but no really its an artistic board game...to make chess a sport has been a delusional goal of FIDE for years now and the olympic committy wont budge even with dope testing and whatever hair-brained scheme FIDE can come up with to try to legitimize it as a sport...

Why is darts not classed has a sport but archery is? They're both aiming at a target.

If chess is classed has a sport why shouldn't draughs/checkers? They're both not games of chance.

Why is poker shown on sports channels and not other card games or games of chance/skill like backgammon or scrabble even?

Should motor racing be classed has a sport? Its no more physical than chess has both sports require the participants to sit down.

chess is more of a sport than baseball is

It is a sport, and can get very physical when one kicks themselves for making a stupid mistake

I always argued that if it is competitive on a tournament level, especially an internationally recognized level, it counts as a sport.  Cheerleading I will say is not a sport unless they do the bit where they compete against other cheer squads.  And fishing is definitely a sport.  What do you mean it's luck if you catch a fish?  Explain to me how it is then that individual competitive fishermen will catch hundreds of bass in competition.  They do it consistently, time and time again.  There is obviously a practiced skill there.  I would say chess is a sport, especially when played at the level of 2200 and above.  After all, when we go in the backyard with a football and toss it around, we don't think of playing catch as a sport.

juggling or doingtricksonskateboards(possiblywhilejuggling) or any nonsense can be called a sport so I suppose chess can. Can I just say, SO WHAT?? "Sport" is just a word, like cloigukky. I don't mind if chess is called a sport or a cloigukky or anything else; chess remains the same.

Chess has captured the human imagination probably because of it's beauty but also it's difficulty. Some people see chess as a great opportunity to test and prove themselves amongst their peers with the same intention. Others see chess as a fascinating drama that we are excited to see played out on the 64 squares. I'm in the second group so I don't often think of chess as a sport.

 I couldn't agree more, no luck apart from if your opponent goes to the toilet and then his clock runs out! However, the chess comitee cannot call it a sport because of reasons x, y and z. In my eyes, and probably everyone else's on chess.com's eyes say, yes, chess is a sport!

Chess today is arecognized sport of the International Olympic Committee. That is from Wikipedia! So Wikipedia says it's a sport! WOOT! lol!

No luck?  So you get to choose when you get disconnected?  (also known as disco fever!)   Chess is a sport just like astrology is a science.  Calling something by a label does not really make it that.  Chess does not need to be called anything to enhance its value.  It is what it is and cannot really be compared to any sport or game.

chess is a religion!!

I rest my case..

It is a sport especially for mind.