Chess not an Oympic sport - ever

The Summer Olympics have of course taken centre stage the last couple of weeks.

So for something a little different, I have to comment a little on the potential of board games to be medal sports one day.

Yes it sounds a bit far-fetched to me, but that does not mean efforts are not ongoing to see such eventuality.

Chess and Bridge were both among 26 sports that applied for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Neither made it, which should not come as a major surprise.

At the same time the International Olympic Committee (IOC) does recognize chess.

And chess was an exhibition sport at Sydney in 2000.

On its own merits western, or FIDE chess, the one most of us recognize, has a rather successful international event presence.

The Chess Olympiad is a biennial chess tournament in which teams from all over the world compete. FIDE organises the tournament and selects the host nation.

“The first Olympiad was unofficial. For the 1924 Olympics an attempt was made to include chess in the Olympic Games but this failed because of problems with distinguishing between amateur and professional players,” details Wikipedia. “While the 1924 Summer Olympics was taking place in Paris, the first unofficial Chess Olympiad also took place in Paris. FIDE was formed on Sunday, July 20, 1924, the closing day of the 1st unofficial Chess Olympiad. FIDE organised the first Official Olympiad in 1927 which took place in London. The Olympiads were occasionally held annually and at irregular intervals until World War II; since 1950 they have been held regularly every two years.”

Anyone doubting the scale of the Chess Olympiad need only consider the 2014 event.

“The 41st Chess Olympiad, organised by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) and comprising an open and women’s tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place inTromsø, Norway from 1–14 August 2014,” notes Wikipedia.  “A total number of 1,570 players participated at the Olympiad, with 881 in the men and 689 in the women’s section. The number of participating teams was 177 from 172 countries in the open section and 136 from 131 countries in the women’s section.”

In regard to countries participating perhaps only soccer among better known ‘sports’ would be in the same category.

But should chess be in the Olympics?

Frankly no, and it’s not likely to happen either.

The list of sports competing for spots in 2020 also included sports such as baseball, softball and squash, all certainly better known as sports than chess.

But is chess a sport?

That depends on how broad a definition of sport you apply. One definition has sport being an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

I would argue sliding a chess rook across a board fails the ‘reasonable test’ for physical exertion.

If you were going to look at a board game fitting the broadest interpretation of the definition I would suggest carrom or crokinole fit better, both games of pure skill, with at least some level of physical action to them.

And, if chess does fit the definition, then it would open the door to a legion of similar games; shogi, Arimaa, Terrace, Xiangqi, and international checkers coming to mind immediately.

It is unreasonable to expect the IOC to open the Olympics that wide, especially when a couple of dozen more traditional sports are knocking at the door looking to be let in.

That said, building on the Chess Olympiad model, to create an event with a dozen games of physical and mental skill (leave the luck of card draws and dice rolls out of the equation), could have merit.

Let’s see; on the dexterity side of things I nominate; crokinole, carrom, rod hockey, Subbeteo (soccer).

On the abstract strategy side; chess, shogi, Xiangqi, international checkers, Arimaa, Go, Chase and Tzaar.

While I am sure this list would get much debate from dedicated gamers, it is food for thought of what could be an amazing gathering for board game players.