Chess grandmasters use between 6,000 and 7,000 calories a day when competing, Robert Sapolsky, professor of neurology at Stanford University, has said. They are "turning on a massive physiological stress response simply with thought and doing the same thing with their bodies as if they were some baboon who has just ripped open the stomach of their worst rival and it's all with thought, and memories and emotions".
Personally speaking I don't think chess (or bridge) are sports, but I get a lot of grief from people when I express that opinion as we in the UK need chess to be classified as a sport in order to get more (i.e. any) funding.
Sport "an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment."
Chess does not involve 'physical' exertion. While one does move the pieces, presumably at some point that physical movement could be replaced by a mind controlled event. Perhaps blitz chess, where the speed of the movements becomes a factor could be considered a sport.
Brain is body hence it´s physical.
I admit chess players (some of them all right) look more intellectual and nerdy than darts players, but some chess players really sweat much.
Their pants looks (and smell) like sumo wrestlers´ mawashi, as in one Austin Powers movie.
Originally posted by wsossin Sport "an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment."
Chess does not involve 'physical' exertion. While one does move the pieces, presumably at some point that physical movement could be replaced by a mind controlled event. Perhaps blitz chess, where the speed of the movements becomes a factor could be considered a sport.
Damned. I just saw in your profile that you're a neuroscientist!
At least you are not my brain surgeon so I can live with it if you are mad.
I would say that any game that has world class players and world class tournaments has to be classified as sport. How can anyone say that snooker and darts are sports, but chess is not? I don't agree that sport has to be something that has physical exertion.
Originally posted by Steve45 I would say that any game that has world class players and world class tournaments has to be classified as sport. How can anyone say that snooker and darts are sports, but chess is not? I don't agree that sport has to be something that has physical exertion.
if you go by the dictionary definition, sport involves physical exertion otherwise, the simple burning of calories could be defined as sport
Originally posted by lemondrop if you go by the dictionary definition, sport involves physical exertion otherwise, the simple burning of calories could be defined as sport
But that means you can't call snooker an darts sport. But they are called sports.
Originally posted by Steve45 But that means you can't call snooker an darts sport. But they are called sports.
Quite simply, a sport is anything that requires specialist footwear. Think about all major sports globally [Except swimming/diving and other water based sports].
So snooker and darts are NOT sports...and...certainly not Chess or Bridge, lol!
Originally posted by Steve45 But that means you can't call snooker an darts sport. But they are called sports.
I would define those as activities
I'm a throwback to the ancient Greek Olympics where a sporting event was all physical
I don't think that debating, which they were good at, would have been considered sport even though by your definition it would be
Baboons (aka Is Chess a Sport?)
22 Sep '15 12:40
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