Sport?

#1 12-13-2005, 02:06 PM

There may have been posts on this topic in the past but my search didn't turn up anything really recent. My question is this: How do you feel about Poker being branded a sport?
My personal opinion is that it is not a sport and shouldn't be deemed so. It is no more a sport than say chess is, and since chess is classified as a parlor game, I guess thats where Poker might fall too. No doubt that Poker takes a tremendous amount of skill and forward thinking, but so does a Real Time Strategy game on the PC.
What do you guys think?

TheBlueMonster · #2 12-13-2005, 02:07 PM

not a sport. It's a parlor game, as you said.

I am fish · #3 12-13-2005, 02:12 PM

Cmon. It's a game. No physical activity. It's a freakin' game.

#4 12-13-2005, 04:01 PM

If you can do it online while smoking and drinking, it's not a sport.

ScottieK

#5 12-13-2005, 04:30 PM

Exactly, if alcohol is considered a tool, you're playing a game, like beer pong.

#6 12-13-2005, 04:35 PM

I could, however, make more of a case for beer pong being a sport than I could for Poker.

So many stand up comics and other people who have a public forum are all up in arms that Poker players consider this a sport. Yet, every poker player I have asked thus far (at the table or in here so far) have all said they don't think it is. Interesting

Guthrie · #7 12-13-2005, 05:21 PM

It's only considered a sport by the sports channels on TV because they make lots of money off it. I doubt ESPN is going to advertise the WSOP as the richest purse in parlor games. Doesn't quite have the same zing.

#8 12-14-2005, 02:29 PM

Ha! Good point.

#9 12-14-2005, 03:43 PM

sport Pronunciation (spôrt, sprt)
n.
1.
a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
b. A particular form of this activity.
2. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
3. An active pastime; recreation.

The key concept running through these definitions is "physical activity". I suppose that by some stretch of the imagination, jumping out of your chair and pumping your fist in the air is physical activity, but not in my book. The major physical activity I have seen at the poker table is people running their mouths.

Poker and sports are competitive games. Anything you can do while sitting down and drinking beer is not a sport.