Joined: Apr '14
Location: Malaysia
Age: 38 (M)
Posts: 26
Hello folks! Have been reading some articles about it and many say it should become an official sport as players use their minds and strategies on the tables. HHHmm....
sport (noun) 1. an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment. "team sports such as soccer and rugby" synonyms: (competitive) game(s), physical recreation, physical activity, physical exercise; pastime "he takes part in a variety of sports" BRITISH an occasion on which people compete in various athletic activities. "I won the 200 metres in the school sports" success or pleasure derived from an activity such as hunting or fishing. "I have heard there is good sport to be had in Buttermere" dated entertainment; fun. "it was considered great sport to catch him out" archaic a source of amusement or entertainment. "I do not wish to show myself the sport of a man like Wildeve"
2. informal a person who behaves in a good or specified way in response to teasing, defeat, or a similarly trying situation. "go on, be a sport!"
Not really by that definition I'd say...
But it would be cool to be able to say that I work out for hours, on my sport, every day...
Joined: May '08
Location: Germany
Age: 59 (M)
Posts: 6786
I didn't even liked it when chess was pushed as a sport, and i don't see p0ker any different here. Yep, both may be mentally demanding, but that still doesn't make them a propper sport to me.
Joined: Mar '12
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 45 (F)
Posts: 2261
I personally do not see poker as a sport,people use strategies in nearly every game/hobby so if poker is a sport we would have to include backgammon,scrabble,cribbage,monopoly,fishing,darts,etc. The other day I was watching a news report about people saying video gaming should also be classed as a sport and if if you look at the Olympics there are some events supposedly classed as sport that are not really physically demanding such as shooting or dresseage and they have now added golf which some people argue is not really a sport. It would be amusing to see poker added to the next Olympics and if you look at old Olympic sports such as tug of war,croquet or some pretty unusual sports such as live pigeon shooting,rope climbing,underwater swimming,tumbling or even club swinging then playing poker does not seem that much of a new event to add.
Joined: Jun '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 52 (M)
Posts: 1332
I dont understand why a lot of games are considered as sport,darts snooker etc are all pub games,should dominoes,cards,cribbage etc be called sport? I know for sure if i started playing tennis in my local id soon be ejected from the premises....
Joined: May '12
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 38 (M)
Posts: 2064
Posted by marqis: Is it even all that mentally demanding though? I don't think it's anywhere near as demanding as chess...
Maybe, maybe not... the point is, there are deep intricacies to all games when you get to a certain level, that people of a lower level will not be able to comprehend.
IMO, something being mentally challenging doesn't make it a sport. Is a crossword, or suduko a sport? Obviously not.
I agree with the physical exertion description of sport. That would make things like fishing a sport, but not snooker or darts.... and certainly not poker. Just my opinion.
Joined: Apr '09
Location: Australia
Age: 40 (M)
Posts: 6483
Poker is a game, not a sport. I don't really know what you mean by 'an official sport' - but if you mean, should it be an Olympic event or something, then no - I don't think it should be.
Joined: May '12
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 38 (M)
Posts: 2064
Also... if it did become "an official sport", I guess there would be tax implications (talking as an accountant rather than a poker player). Any money earned by professionals of any sport is obviously taxable income, but money won from gambling is not (currently at least, in the UK)...
Would open up a very nasty can of worms if this does happen.
Joined: May '08
Location: Germany
Age: 51 (M)
Posts: 696
i´ve played many years chess,i see not a different between chess and poker,you sit on a table use your mind and plan your strategy to win. It´s time thats poker be an official sport
Joined: Feb '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 59 (M)
Posts: 5712
Isn't it interesting how we focus our attention on whether the game of poker is a sport, when the impact of such a determination is whether or not it could ultimately be considered to be part of ,say, the Olympic Games! They are not called the Olympic Sports, so what's the big fuss?
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
Age: 47 (F)
Posts: 14136
Once more i disagree. Poker never was and never will be a sport. I dont even understand how can some people think that a card game can be a sport actually. And the reasons are obvious of course. Take a hint from the definition marqis has posted.
Fishing is a sport, apparently so is darts, snooker and maybe even pool, although the physical exertion in the last 3 particularly sports/pastimes/tests of skill is minimal. If we extend the concept of sport to include mental exertion, I think we are changing the definition, which can happen over time and consensus, although in this case I think I disagree with this change. Poker at the best level of application, (not necessarily the same as highest buy-in) is certainly more skill than luck based, I am not sure you can say it has any physical exertion factor involved, excluding Phil Helmuth jogging to the rail to swear or Mike "The Mouth" running his mouth off. I can see it on a par with Chess, which I do not consider a sport, maybe a new word needs to be invented to categorise a test of skill and mental fortitude, which would therefore include; Draughts, bridge and most other board and card games played at a high level. Sedentary, High-Level games or "Shames" no that does not fit, "Shorts" no, not quiet right either. Anyhoo GL all 3P
Joined: Nov '12
Location: Canada
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 4675
G'day mates
Poker is NOT a sport. Poker is a game of chance which also requires a great deal of skill to master. It does not require any real amount of physical activity in order to play it. You need a chair and some cards. Lets face it some of the best players in the world have not been what people would consider athletic. To really succeed you require a great deal of luck and mental fortitude. A calm and disciplined approach helps too.
Joined: May '13
Location: Mauritius
Age: 32 (M)
Posts: 2688
Would like it to become a sport but this will becomes a sport like chess and so on but with money involved people will still think that it is gambling and it will take some time before it is recognized as a sport and not a game of chance anyway me i am in favor of it becoming a sports and there will be more regulations though i don't know how tax will affect it if it becomes a sports. Maybe more tax so not worthwhile for it to become a sports. Cheers have fun guys!
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
Age: 47 (F)
Posts: 14136
I agree with 3pokeronly. there are many sports out there, that personally not considering them as ones. Anything that includes a horse for example How is that a sport and an Olympic one too, i never understood.
Joined: Jan '14
Location: Netherlands
Age: 34 (M)
Posts: 508
I think shuffling chips, walk to another table or clicking with a mouse is physicaly not that much demanding, IMO it can't be a sport. Than maybe a new word for all those thinking-games like Ronin said, but a sport is something else I think.
Joined: Feb '12
Location: Canada
Age: 64 (M)
Posts: 6036
Poker a sport,....complete nonsense...! It has some sport like qualities,...but it has NO physical activity other than getting up to go have a whizzzzzzz quick...!
Sport involves demanding physical activity. Sport is a replacement for WAR...or survival.
Sport mimics things like running a long way to chase your lunch, or throwing a spear or a rock to hit and kill it,...or in games like soccer, hockey, or football etc...they are battles between warring factions...!
The MAJORITY of poker players look like they just got out of BED...!
