“Chess Doctor – My friends make fun of me for thinking chess is a sport, so I’m writing to try to settle our little argument once and for all. Am I right or wrong?“
This fundamental debate has been raging for decades and was not stopped by the Olympic Committee’s acceptance that, yes, chess is a sport. Before reaching a final verdict, it is worth going to the trouble to understand both sides’ arguments.
On the one side, you have those opposed to the notion that chess is a sport. They will argue that “real” sports, like basketball and soccer, are primarily physical, and that this aspect is missing from chess. On the other side are those who advocate that, yes, chess is absolutely a sport. They will inform you that during tournaments top Grandmasters burn up to 6,000 calories per day, and that Magnus Carlsen regularly outlasts his opponents thanks to superior endurance and physical shape. What more do you need to know?
They can’t both be right, of course. An article on ESPN digging into the topic of Grandmaster weight loss in chess is widely quoted as proving that chess is a sport. Still, there are doubters who say that the 6,000-calorie figure is overblown, and that 2,000 per day at most is closer to the mark, or that there simply isn’t enough research on the subject to provide an accurate number.
After a great deal of research and thinking about the subject, I have come to the conclusion that chess is indeed a sport. From my personal tournament experience I can attest to feeling worn out after tough games, a feeling that takes some time to fade after the event. With this in mind there can be absolutely no doubt that regular exercise aids chess players tremendously, boosting stamina for long games.
I do not claim to know any exact numbers, but in my opinion chess at any level can be taxing physically and grueling mentally under the right conditions. There is a reason you see so many Grandmaster draws! Chess is still a very mental game, and there are exceptions to the trim-and-fit modern day GM image, but they are few and far between.
In conclusion, here is a recent game of mine that showed very well the sporting aspects of chess. In the last round of the U.S. Junior Open I only won thanks to willpower and endurance.
I hope this helps answer the original question! As always, you’re welcome to submit a question of your own by clicking the button below or going to https://grandmaster2b.com/chess-doctor/
May I suggest a compromise? Chess will be considered a sport, but in exchange soccer will be considered a board game.