Chess isn't a sport

There are no valid arguments for chess being a sport. All reputable dictionaries define the word sport as a game/competition/activity that requires physical exertion. Chess is obviously not a physical sport by any means.

Yes, chess is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as a sport. More than 100 countries recognize Chess as a sport as well.

PROOF

The IOC recognizing chess as a sport does not mean anything. Governing bodies can be wrong. The IOC is also biased because of a money incentive which they have revealed before and other things that you would probably not consider a sport have been in the olympics. One example of that is poetry.

Chess is an intellectual sport.

Neither is bowling . . .

Look, I get where you're coming from—dictionaries might say that a "sport" is an activity that requires physical exertion, and on the surface, chess doesn’t seem to involve running around or heavy lifting. But there’s a subtle difference between physical activity and physical exertion that’s worth considering.

Physical activity is any bodily movement produced by the muscles that results in energy expenditure. Now, physical exertion usually conjures up images of sweat, heavy breathing, and muscle strain. But consider chess: while you’re not sprinting, the intense concentration and constant mental stress during a high-stakes match trigger significant physiological responses. Studies have shown that during prolonged chess tournaments, players can burn thousands of calories—sometimes as many as 6,000 in a long game—because their heart rates soar and their bodies react to the mental strain. That’s a form of physical activity, even if it isn’t what we traditionally picture as “exercise.”

Moreover, when we talk about sports nowadays, governing bodies like the already mentioned International Olympic Committee (IOC) and organizations such as SportAccord recognize mind sports like chess, bridge, and draughts as sports. They do this not just because of bureaucratic inertia or money incentives, but because these activities are competitive, follow strict rules, and require a unique blend of skill—mental and sometimes even physical. For instance, the IOC’s inclusion of chess shows that they acknowledge the intense, albeit different, demands it places on the body and mind.

So, while chess might not have the obvious physical exertion of a soccer match, the mental endurance it demands leads to tangible physical responses. It’s not that your muscles are doing heavy lifting, but your body is still working hard under stress. In that sense, I view dismissing chess as “not a sport” just because it doesn’t involve running around misses the bigger picture.

In short, the debate isn’t just about raw physical movement—it’s about the overall competitive spirit, the physiological impact of sustained mental effort, and the fact that a lot of respected institutions now consider chess a sport. I'd say there's plenty room for argument that chess is an intellectual sport that challenges you in ways that are very real, both mentally and physically.

Bowling requires physical skill. Stephen Hawking couldn't bowl very well but he would be able to play chess.

The study that said chess grandmasters would burn up to 6000 calories in a tournament was extremely flawed and has been debunked many times. While it does definitely require massive amounts of mental exertion, we have defined them to be different things and it doesn't fit the definition of physical exertion which is quite literally exerting your muscles. I would definitely agree that it could be put into a different category but it does not fit the definition of sport.

That is such good info. Can you point me to the debunking of that study that you got the info from? And also where the definition of measurement that constitute physical force in reference to a sport is? That one in particular I can't seem to find from a proper authority, if any authority. Thanks!

The other two topics about this subject (with thousands of posts) were definitely not enough, we absolutely needed a third one.

Ah I see. They never factored in base caloric burn rate so most of that is non exercise activity thermogenesis. Shoddy work from Stamford I must say. However another independent study in Russia rated the increased caloric burn rate as 10% from baseline which, although not soccer level stuff, is not altogether insignificant. Hmmm.

Meh. I'm not worried about it. Always love a good debate especially with good opposition that use data to back up claims. This guy is a worthy opponent. I'm having fun.

In regards to the debunking, it can be disproved in a variety of ways. If they were actually burning that many calories, they would be burning two times more calories than an average marathon and would nearly have to eat the same amount of calories as an elite strongman. Not only would they be sweating a LOT more than we have observed, they would be very worn out from the eating alone. Also, there is a much more accurate study which estimated the calories being burnt to be around 100 calories: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23455094_The_stress_of_chess_players_as_a_model_to_study_the_effects_of_psychological_stimuli_on_physiological_responses_An_example_of_substrate_oxidation_and_heart_rate_variability_in_man

In regards to what is classified as physical exertion, WHO defined physical activity (not necessarily physical exertion) as bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Princeton University defined physical exertion as the activity of exerting your muscles in various ways to keep fit.

Yeah I'm still a little torn. If the term doesn't evolve to cover modern day scenarios, I guess that would invalidate entire genres of "sports" as invalid including eSports. Now im curious what a good alternative name would be for thing of the nature of Chess, Wargames, Competitive pen testing, etc, that feel like being defined as a simple "game" doesn't really do it justice of encompass the entirety of the experience. Its def not candyland. 
If Mental Sport as a new term is not acceptable, I kind of like Competitive Cognition or Mental Combat.

hi

I mean you are all right kind of as chess is a game but it might be a sport

Also if more than 100 countries recognize chess as a sport then that is the majority and your whole argument about "if the majority say the word means this, that is what it means" falls apart. Chess is absolutely a sport.

The distinction definitely has real-world consequences eh?

yep!