Real sport

[count2infinity]

chess is not a sport... it's a board game, just like scrabble (which you can also play offense and defense)

[once a runner]

If chess is a sport, then I suppose Bobby Fischer should be included as one of the great athletes of all time, right?

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ssat2.htm

Certainly if a jockey can make the list, a chess player should be included as well.

[El-Moldo]

Certainly chess is a sport. It has all the aspects of a sport. 1) It shows how the physical aspect of sport can be downplayed, e.g. curling, darts, horsehoes. 2) You can play offense and defense. 3) It provides great one on one competition. And 4) Unlike other board games, there is NO element of luck or chance involved in determining the winner during the game. There are NO dice to throw, NO cards to shuffle, NO spinner to spin, and as in the case of scrabble, NO tiles to randomly pick up. Chess is 100% skill, NO element of chance involved. That's the beauty of it.

[count2infinity]

by your definition of sport (which is not a good definition at all) chess is a sport, sure... but you ask any person on the streets if chess is a sport their very first reaction is going to be, "what? no, it's not even close to being a sport"

[El-Moldo]

So chess isn't a sport because you don't sweat when you play it? Is that your definition? MY definition is perfect.

[once a runner]

We all think our definition is perfect. Since it is an opinion question, there is no right or wrong definition. However, I do agree with count in saying that a very large segment of society would not classify chess as a sport. As you saw from the link I posted earlier, apparently the nation's sportswriters don't believe that chess is a sport.

[count2infinity]

oh moldo... just like when we were arguing the evolution/bible thing. "I AM RIGHT YOU ARE ALL WRONG!!!" tell me, what does if feel like to be perfect? what's it like to always be right? i'd like to know how that feels :lol: