Islam and chess

Your view is not the view of most of the entrants into the the majority of OTB  chess tournaments. This also applies to many competitions in other sports.

How do you know ? Most entrants into tournaments might not have religious or moral objections to gambling.

I guess though motivations would need to be considered, ie is one paying the entry fee in order to participate in the tournament, or solely with the view to winning the prize.

I have known many, many people who have taken part in OTB tournaments, some of who have been practicing Christians, and I know of not a single example of a chess player who regarded participating in OTB tournaments as gambling. With all due respect, their views outweigh yours, Atos.

Originally, this discussion has been about whether playing chess for money should be considered objectionable from the perspective of a (religious) Muslim. Whether it is so from the point of view of a Christian is tangential so I concede the point. From a Muslim perspective, if it can be logically shown that something is gambling - which playing with stakes seems to be - then it is difficult to reconcile with Islam. (Seeing that the scriptural admonitions against gambling are fairly clear.)

They might. Khomeini attempted to prohibit chess but in the end concluded that it is not against Islam as long as it is not played for gambling purposes.

Playing for stakes is not gambling, unless it involves chance:

While the game itself does not involve chance, I'd say that the wager does -- you're not working with complete information about your opponent's capabilities.

In my opinion Islam isnt against chess. But "If playing chess leads to abandoning an obligation or committing a forbidden act, like not performing the prayer, or abandoning being dutiful to parents, telling a lie and false swearing." it is haram.

And another point is that if youre gambling its haram again.

If somebody loses money and you win its gambling; if nobody loses somebody wins money, it isnt gambling. So if there is an entry fee thats gambling.

Reading about the concept of games of perfect information may help to make clear the distinction between lack of knowledge about what options an opponent will choose and about what options will be available to them.

I understand game theory.  I fully agree that the game itself does not involve chance.  The wager, however, does.

The short version:

You can take any rule or law and interpret it in such a way that it fits your agenda.

There is a masters degree in chess??? What college is that! I would join immediately!!

Sure, if you're selective about which definition you choose to present here.  Only 1 (which you chose) and 7 talk about the nature of the game itself, the rest could be read as talking about the wager.

–verb (used without object)

According to Wiki:

"Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value (referred to as "the stakes") on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambling

I'd say that a chess game is: "an event with an uncertain outcome" (as is a horse race).

Correct. And chess involves no chance on the part of the players, only skill. Chess is a game without a random element. The practical consequence is that in chess there is (at least one) absolute best move which produces at least a certain result (and exactly that result if the opponent does not make a mistake). Every win in chess is exploitation of a crucial error by the opponent. To say there is a chance element in chess is (to a game theorist) like saying there is a chance element in arithmetic: in truth there are only right answers and wrong answers.

If you and I were betting on the outcome of Topalov-Anand match, wouldn't that be a gamble ?

Gamblin' is for suckers.

Pucker up, boy.