Introduction
Chess enthusiasts have been pondering over the question of whether chess is a sport or not for some time. The lack of physical effort that is associated with a chess game is the major reason for the doubts some organisations have over whether chess should be considered a sport. In addition to the lack of physical effort that is associated with chess, according to the dictionary definition of the characteristics that constitute a sport, chess possesses few of them. The main arguments for chess not being considered a sport is the fact that chess can be played whilst sitting still at a table as opposed to most other sports that require an element of physicality in addition to skill. Arguments for the classification of chess as a sport highlights the fact that even though chess requires players to exert minute amounts of physical energy, chess does share many qualities that are found in many popular sports. For example, to play chess effectively you need to be in the best mental and physical shape to make the best decisions possible. Many people believe that even though there are many similarities between chess and other recognised sports, the question of whether chess is just a board game, or a sport is still up for debate.
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Why Is Chess Considered A Sport?
Chess is widely considered a sport as it has numerous attributes that contribute to its categorisation as a sport. Chess is a strategy game that requires skill however unlike most other sports that requires both mental skill and physical fitness the focus of chess is on the development of a strong mind and strategic principles for success. Like other popular sports chess requires players to have a thorough understanding of the game, to be in good physical shape, and to demonstrate good sportsmanship.
Since the 1990’s there have been numerous debates both public and private to answer the question of whether chess should be considered a sport. Before 1999 the answer to this question varied among many in the public however in 1999 the (IOC) International Olympic Committee officially recognised chess as a sport and recognised FIDE as the International Sports Federation for chess which ended the age-old debate. As of April 2024, chess is officially recognised as a sport according to (ARISF) the Association of the IOC Recognised International Sports Federations. Organisations such as (IMSA) the International Mind Sports Association and (GCF) the Global Chess Federation also recognise chess as a sport and actively promotes chess education and development. Chess is recognised as a sport in numerous countries around the world such as Russia, China, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States however the amount of funding that is allocated to the promotion of chess in each country varies. For example, the United Kingdom has allocated £50,000 per year for the promotion of chess since 1999 whilst Greece has allocated £337,000 per year for the promotion of chess in the same period. The United Kingdom has been planning to boost their efforts to promote chess since 2023 and has plans to spend £1 million on chess programmes and grants to support children attending schools in disadvantaged areas across the country and on the installation of chess tables in public spaces across the Uk.
There are many similarities between the characteristics of physical sports and mental sports like chess such as the fact that it requires players to have a thorough understanding of the game, skill, concentration and focus, decisiveness, strategy, visualisation and planning skills, mental fortitude, resilience, emotional control, patience, creativity, physical fitness, problem solving skills, endurance, discipline, the ability to manage stress and the ability to demonstrate good sportsmanship. The main aspect of chess that prevented it from being included in the category of a sport is the fact that chess does not require the same level of physical effort that is required in sports such as basketball, tennis, and athletics. Whilst chess does not require a significant level of physical fitness it does require some degree of physical fitness as there is a strong correlation between physical fitness and mental performance and so it is necessary for chess players to maintain an adequate level of physical fitness to perform optimally during chess games. The official definition of a sport is any “game, competition or activity that requires physical effort and skill and that is played or carried out according to rules for enjoyment and or as a job.” Chess meets three out of four of the criteria that defines a sport minus the requirement of physical effort to a certain degree.
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What Category of Sport Does Chess Fit?
Chess falls into a few sports categories such as individual sports, team sports and mind sports. Unlike many other sports that usually require the exertion of physical energy chess is typically played by two individuals and requires more mental resources than it does physical resources however there are variations of chess that does require a team to play such as Bughouse chess and four player chess.
Chess falls under a few sports categories which includes individual sports, team sports and mind sports. The official definition of a sport according to the Cambridge dictionary makes it difficult to classify chess as a physical sport because it requires less physical effort than most of the recognised physical sports such as football, basketball, tennis, and athletics. The most suitable category of sport that chess falls under is a mind sport and an individual sport because chess requires much more mental effort than physical effort and is usually played by two individuals however there are variants of chess that require teams such as Bughouse chess and four player chess. Whilst chess does not meet all four of the criteria that defines a sport it does meet three of the criteria and it also has numerous similarities with physical sports. For example, chess requires that players have a strong and healthy mind and like other sports it requires players to be in good physical shape which is essential for players to make the best decisions. Chess also requires players to utilise skill, creativity, strategy, resilience, emotional control, patience, and discipline to succeed much like physical sports. There are some interesting considerations that should be addressed when defining what constitutes a sport which include the fact that most sports have the ability to build and strengthen various muscles in the body and the fact that the brain is also a muscle that can be developed by playing games such as chess.
Most physical sports place greater emphasis on the development of external muscles and to a certain degree neglect the development of internal muscles such as the brain. The brain is an essential muscle that facilitates the movement of every limb and muscle in the body and which is also strengthened by the movement of the body, highlighting the interconnectedness between the brain and the body. Mind sports such as chess provide a mental workout that can enhance an individuals cognitive performance and benefit every aspect of an individuals life such as their academic skills, their professional career, personal relationships, and their performance in all physical sports. Chess can assist with the development and cultivation of numerous skills that’s needed to perform optimally in physical sports such as creativity, strategy, resilience, emotional control, patience, discipline, mental fortitude, critical thinking, problem solving and much more. Mental sports such as chess play a vital role in the maintenance of the brain as it contributes to the enhancement of cognitive growth and optimises the functioning of the brain by stimulating neural growth and fortifying synaptic connections. Although chess does not require a significant amount of physical activity and as a result it does not directly develop any external muscles it does play a crucial role in the maintenance and development of the most important internal muscle, the brain. Viewing chess from this perspective challenges the attributes that have historically defined traditional physical sports and raises the question of whether chess could be considered a physical sport.
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Why Was Chess Not Considered A Sport?
There has been much debate as to whether chess is considered a sport and for a long time the answer to this question was a stern no for many reasons. The main reason for chess not being considered a sport is the lack of physical energy it took to partake in a chess game compared to other sports. According to the definition of a sport in the average dictionary being an activity that requires physical effort, skill and abides by the confines of a set of rules chess is only able to meet three out of four of these requirements.
The skills required to play chess such as creativity, memorisation, patience, emotional control, resiliency, and vision stem primarily from the chess players mind as opposed to having to master physical skills such as shooting, dribbling, catching, throwing, and running which is crucial in sports such as basketball, football/soccer, and tennis. Being physically fit is less important in chess as it is in other sports such as boxing, swimming, football/soccer, basketball, tennis, and athletics which require a greater deal of physical fitness for players to perform optimally. At most a physically fit chess player that achieved their fitness strictly through playing chess would only be able to boast of having extremely strong wrists and immense brain power. Chess has historically been denied the title of being a sport and has often been categorised by prominent sports organisations such as the (IOC) International Olympics Committee as being solely a board game. Although there are numerous similarities between chess and other mainstream sports, throughout history there has been both public debates and private debates within official sports regulatory organisations such as the (IOC) international Olympic committee and the (ISF) International Sports Federation regarding the viability of chess’ designation as a sport. Before the 1990’s chess was classified as a board game which most of the prominent official sport’s organisations such as the (IOC) International Olympic Committee would not recognise as a sport.
Although there were many organisations that would not recognise chess as a sport prior to 1999 before the (IOC) International Olympics Committee formally recognised chess as a mind sport, there were also many organisations that did recognise chess as a sport such as FIDE, various national Olympics committees, educational institutions such as schools and universities, and youth organisations that promoted chess for recreation and competition purposes. Sport’s organisations such as the (IOC) International Olympics Committee adheres to the traditional definition of what constitutes a sport and focuses on the sports that involve physical activity and competition which is one of the main reasons why chess is recognised as a mind sport but is not recognised an Olympic sport. FIDE has been advocating for the inclusion of chess in the Olympic games for many years although including chess in the Olympic games would require the (IOC) International Olympics Committe to reconsider it’s criteria for inclusion and it’s policies regarding what constitutes a sport. According to the Cambridge dictionary of a sport which is “a game, competition or activity that requires physical effort, skill and that is played or done according to rules for enjoyment and or as a job” and the (IOC) International Olympics Committees criteria for defining a sport which is physical activity, competition between teams or individuals, the presence of a regulated governing body, global interest, recognition from the global sporting community, and physical and mental development. Whilst chess ticks many of the boxes of the criteria that constitutes a sport it lacks the presence of physical activity which has been the main cause of its absence from the Olympic games. Chess was an exhibition event at the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney and there have been attempts by FIDE to include chess in the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
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Are Chess Players Athletes?
An athlete is by definition an individual who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise. Whilst chess is technically a mind sport and recognised as such by the International Olympic Committee the lack of physical activity that is needed to train for or compete in a chess game makes it difficult to define chess players as athletes according to the traditional definition of an athlete.
Although a game of chess can be mentally demanding the definition of an athlete according to the Oxford dictionary does not permit a chess player to be considered as an athlete. In order for a chess player to be considered an athlete chess would have to meet the requirements of an athletic sport and incorporate some aspect of athleticism. Giant Bullet chess players may be able to meet the criteria that’s needed to be classed as athletes as moving around giant chess pieces requires significantly more physical effort than is required to sit still at a table and concentrate for hours at a time as is the case with regular chess. The classification of chess as an athletic sport can only be made under isolated circumstances as is the case with giant bullet chess. Whether giant bullet chess will be recognised and incorporated into the Olympics is a topic of further discussion, but currently regular chess players are not considered to be athletes and giant bullet chess is not a recognised athletic sport by any means. Chess has some similar characteristics that are found within many athletic sports such as the expectance of good sportsmanship, the dedication to the craft chess players and athletes both share, endurance, discipline, and stress management. Great chess players and great athletes also spend years training to reach levels of mastery.
The greatest chess players just like the greatest athletes are those that have spent the most time perfecting their skills and although chess is not widely considered to be an athletic sport many athletes have great respect for chess players that exhibit mastery in their games and chess players also have great respect for athletes that demonstrate mastery on the track and field. Whilst there are some similarities between the characteristics of chess and athletics, chess players do not match the traditional definition of an athlete. A new term such as mental athletes might suit chess players better based on the skills that are required in chess such as mental fortitude, concentration and focus, decisiveness, problem solving, patience, discipline, emotional control, and strategy. A mental athlete is someone who competes in memory competitions, mental math competitions or other types of mind sports which is precisely what a typical chess game consists of and what is required of a chess player. Mental athleticism is as strenuous to the mind as physical athleticism is to the body and both forms of athletics require players to utilise critical thinking, strategic thinking, endurance, emotional control, resilience, concentration, and discipline. The external relationship between mental athleticism and physical athleticism is akin to the internal relationship between the mind and the body as proficiency in one will benefit the other significantly.
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Conclusion
Chess has made major strides since its official recognition as a sport in 1999. Although the attributes of chess limits its viability of being classified as a physical sport, it can be considered as a mind sport. The focus on mental performance as opposed to physical performance is the main distinguishing factor between physical and mental sports. What makes chess as much a sport as any other well-known sport is the worldwide popularity of chess and the comradery that is shared amongst chess players around the world which resembles the community spirit that players of other sports have within their chosen sport. There are still arguments as to whether chess should be considered a sport however chess fits much better under the more specific classification as a mind sport. Chess players are not required to experience the physical strain that training for other physical sports requires but the mental preparation that’s needed to compete at championship levels is equivalent to the physical training that physical sports demand at the same level.
