Calls for chess to be made into a sport

But is that a good thing though? Is encouraging greed good?

Do you think theres a reason why some countries and people want to keep and barrier between sport and games?

Don't forget there was a religious aspect to the Greek Olympics and the games held at Olympia weren't the only ones, there were games held across the Greek world and they had competitors who were fairly professional too.

I thought the Olympics were supposed to be for amateurs, but now everyone seems to be professional and its become more about nations than individuals. I think its one of the things that annoys me about it.

I often find the UK is not exactly very open minded about these things "Chess can't be a sport! There's no running or balls involved!". Meanwhile, in other countries, even eating can be considered a sport!

Gaming basically. Something that is played online.

Olympic monopoly would be hilarious but imagine how long that could go on for. Would take up more TV time than the curling in the winter Olympics. I guess chess is slightly different in that luck doesn't come into it. It is all skill and strategy based. 

The Ancient Olympics were based on male physical strength. Obviously the Modern Olympics is much more inclusive, sports now include table tennis and shooting, this is the wording from team GB. Shooting is a sport that demands exceptional skill, concentration and a strong mental approach. I would argue that Chess has a similar requirement. 
Many other board games rely on the throw of a dice, that makes them a game of chance, Chess does not fall into that category.

Whats an e-sport?

Olympic Cluedo, I just can't see it really, can you? I bet monopoly would be the most competitive things in the whole of the Olympics, I've seen people get really upset and angry over a game of monopoly, one reason I stopped playing it. 

I don't see how chess can be a sport. It takes a lot of skill and is an impressive talent if you are good at it. But sports are a physical activity. There is no physical exertion in chess. If chess became a sport then all the other board games would have to be classed as sports too. The Olympics would become very bizarre.

Despite being called e-sports, I also don't count any of those as actual sports either. Again, as there is no physical exertion involved.

TheCatWoman said:

I'm not sure about the ancient Olympics, its all Greek to me...Boom Boom!

[laughs!]. I agree, I'm not keen on competitive things, whatever they are [footie being an exception]. I don't like the thought of win and lose, as there's already so much of this throughout life. I don't like the cruelty of people being 'sent home' in programmes I otherwise enjoy like bake off, the piano and sewing bee -  much prefer collaborative or skills programmes -  like the marvellous miniature workshop, repair shop, Francis Bourgeois 'we saved a train' and Guy Martin programmes.

Lotus said:

Or maybe people could be dressed up as the pieces and move around the board as directed by their team manager?

I would love to see this and would watch it, even though I don't play chess.

I asked AI about it and it said the difference is institutionalised rules, I'm not sure I agree with it as I've always thought of sport as having to have a physical element to it. I think it's more about the money than anything else, chess is becoming popular again and it becoming a sport would attract more funding which they hope would set up more grass roots chess clubs.

I guess playing chess is a good thing for young people to learn, but I wonder if the money really will go to the young all over the country or will it be used for the elite players?

Personally I'd like to see fewer things being so overtly competitive and just be done for enjoyment, it all seems to be getting daft, so many things being Olympic sports, can me and Mum enter with our synchronised Mother and daughter curtain closing?

I'm not sure about the ancient Olympics, its all Greek to me...Boom Boom!

Sport involves physical exertion, not just a competitive element, so I can't see how chess would qualify.

Maybe if they used one of those giant outdoor chess boards which requires walking around and more physical strength to move the pieces? Or maybe people could be dressed up as the pieces and move around the board as directed by their team manager?

(Makes me think of the book "Alice through the looking glass" where she was an unsuspecting pawn)

I'm very neutral on this but it does remind me of this High Court rules bridge is not a sport - BBC News

I remember the proponents of this talking a pretty good game about this about a decade ago and then it all seemed to go quiet overnight. Guess now I know why, they lost!

I suppose you could call anything 'sport', if it has a competitive element. Even gardening can become a competitive sport. But it does annoy me how things like beach volleyball and bowls are now Olympic sports. I thought the idea of the Olympics was not only skill but grace and complexity. Perhaps you know sometung of the background from your studies of history?