Reasons why chess is a sport
- Chess is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as a sport
- Chess is a sport because it has an official governing body: the International Chess Federation (FIDE)
- Chess is a sport because it has a structured competition at the international level, with rating systems
- Chess is a sport because it is highly competitive, especially in terms of mental strength
- Chess is a sport because it has a wide global reach
In recent years, chess has been in the spotlight in Canada for several reasons. The country has hosted numerous high-profile events, including the 2024 Toronto Candidates Tournament, where Gukesh Dommaraju emerged victorious. Canada has also seen the rise of promising local talents such as Grandmaster Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux, who won the 2022 World Under-18 Chess Championship.
The Chess Federation of Canada (CFC) oversees the country's chess ecosystem. It organizes provincial and youth leagues, such as the British Columbia Chess Championship, and promotes chess nationwide through lessons and training programs for both children and adults.
🏅What is the Definition of A Sport
The constant debate over whether chess is a game or a sport has been ongoing for decades, sparking various insights from both chess players and non-chess players alike.
To explore the definition of a sport from a global and objective perspective, we looked at how the International Olympic Committee (IOC) defines it, focusing on the following main criteria:
So is chess a sport under the following criteria? Let's dive deep into the discussions in the following paragraphs.
🧠Chess as a Physical and Mental Activity
As pointed out above, sports, especially the more physically demanding ones, require participants to be at least physically fit enough to practise them. While it appears that chess players only need to sit to practise their sport without exerting any physical force during each tournament, that doesn't mean they can forego their physical training to be at the top of the game.
♟️The longest classical game in recent times took place during Game 6 of the 2021 World Chess Championship.
♟️It lasted 7 hours and 45 minutes, featuring 136 moves between Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi, ending in Carlsen's favour.
For one, playing chess can be a test of stamina and mental endurance, especially during tournaments. Imagine the conditioning needed to engage all of your mental powers while sitting still for up to hours at a time - and not necessarily in a comfortable chair, either. It has a bit of science elements, isn't it?
You'll be surprised to learn how top chess grandmasters spend their time besides practicing various chess techniques on their off-days or when they do not have chess tournaments. They hit the gym, go for runs, and even play soccer or basketball. For example, American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana has a full physical training schedule ahead of major tournaments, which looks like this:
Physical activity 1
5-mile run
Physical activity 2
An hour of tennis
Physical activity 3
Half an hour of basketball
Physical activity 4
An hour of swimming
Sometimes, they even hire a personal trainer or a private chef to take care of their diet. That's because chess is a form of mindfulness. Chess players must be wholly present while playing; their minds can't afford to wander for a moment without risking losing the game. The well of mindfulness flows from being in tune with one's optimal self: a well-conditioned body, a stress-free mind, as physical fitness and brain performance are tied in closely.
Every sport has a mental component. Athletes must constantly think of defence, offence and strategy, but some games are admittedly more reactive than others. For instance, when a basketball player fakes an opponent out, the 'faked' player must react instinctively; they cannot pause the game to analyse their strategy.
Chess is far more cerebral than physical, which makes it more mentally intensive than most physically strenuous sports, with the three main stages: Opening, Middlegame, and Endgame. Each stage is an art and engages key cognitive abilities such as memory, concentration, creativity, and tactical sharpness.
Opening
- Emphasizes preparation and strategy
- Establishing control on the board, both physically and psychologically
Middlegame
- Emphasizes deep analysis and creativity
- Calculating risk while launching attacks to secure the best positions in every step
Endgame
- Emphasizes precision and resilience
- Converting every position to one's advantage without making any blunders
🏆Recognition by Official Sporting Organizations
Although chess is not part of the Olympic Games, it was recognized as a sport by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in June 1999, Seoul. Its official governing body, the International Chess Federation (FIDE), was granted recognition at the same time.
Adheres to standardized rules and regulations of FIDE
This recognition by the IOC holds huge significance because it acknowledges chess's competitive nature, especially in terms of mental strategy and high concentration, as opposed to the traditional notion of sports as a physical activity.
Additionally, this recognition also grants FIDE greater access and liberty to promote the chess landscape on a global level, whether it's to secure financial funds, sponsorships even the opportunity to include chess as an Olympic sport one day.
| Aspect | Chess | Physical Sports |
|---|---|---|
| Physical exertion | Low | High |
| Mental strategy | Very High | Moderate–High |
| Professional leagues | Professional leagues Yes (FIDE) | Yes |
| Olympic recognition | Yes (IOC) | Yes |
🎯Arguments For and Against Chess Being a Sport
If we were to follow the criteria set by the IOC, chess can be considered a sport according to most of the points, except one — which is the involvement of physical activity. Many people, from top chess players to sports officials, have expressed their views on this topic.
Now, it's time to open these points for discussion from the following angles.
✅Chess Is A Sport
With structured competitions to determine the ultimate winner at all levels, from school champion to world champion.
Players need to maintain optimal physical and mental strength through long hours, battling stress and fatigue, like other physical sports.
FIDE has organized many prestigious chess competitions like the World Chess Championship, Chess Olympiad, and Chess World Cup.
Chess players are required to shake hands before starting a game and must adhere to a strict anti-cheating protocol throughout their play.
❌Chess Is Not A Sport
There is no action from players which showcases physical strength during the competition, but mostly intellectual battles.
No physical engagement between players during competition, which demonstrates physical skills, where physical strength does not determine victory.
While chess is recognized as a sport by the IOC internationally, it is not recognized as a sport in different regions and countries, like the United Kingdom, which receives no national funding.
🏁Chess in Competitive Arenas
When it comes to any sport discussion, we certainly cannot miss out on talking about the players. Afterall, they are the ones that keep the game interesting, engaging among the audience and fans. Fans have their own pick of the GOAT (the greatest of all time).
Unlike the rivalries seen with Ronaldo and Messi in football or the Big Four in tennis, chess today has an undisputed GOAT who has demonstrated dominance across all formats and tournaments. We're talking about none other than Magnus Carlsen, the current World Number 1, who is also the longest reigning world No. 1 in FIDE rankings history.
Like many competitive chess players, Carlsen began playing the game as a child and earned the Grandmaster title at just 13 years old. To climb the rankings, players compete in a wide range of annual and biennial tournaments, such as the following:
Biennial/Every two to three years
- FIDE World Cup
- World Chess Championship
- Candidates Tournaments
- Chess Olympiad
Annual
- Tata Steel Chess
- Sinquefield Cup
- Grand Swiss
- Norway Chess
♟️Prepare For Your Next Chess Tournament With Superprof
Canada offers many opportunities for young learners or beginners to master chess and to put their skills to the test through various chess tournaments. In fact, many youth tournaments like the North American Youth Chess Championship and Saskatoon Regional Scholastic Chess Tournament are open to beginners without any ratings.
Whether you are a parent of a young child who is interested to learn the different facets of chess or someone who is learning chess as a hobby, you can always enhance your chess playing techniques with the help of an experienced chess tutor on Superprof.
Feel free to browse through a wide selection of chess tutors' profiles to learn about their tutoring experience, chess playing ratings (if any), chess tutoring methodology, and also hourly rates. 97% of Superprof tutors offer their first lesson for free, so it's quite a worthwhile investment, if you ask us.
We hope this article will inspire you to explore the beauty of chess as a sport, one move at a time.
Chess is everything: art, science, and sport.
Anatoly Karpov, 12th World Chess Champion
Did you like this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
