by John Imamura

Created on: November 24, 2009

Is poker a sport? Is something a sport, if there is no physical activity? That is a good question. Poker requires stamina, quick decisions, and an competitive nature but I would not go as far as to call it a sport. Wikipedia defines a sport "as an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively, Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determinant of the outcome (winningor losing),but the term is also used to include activities such as mind games(a common name for some card games or board games.....So poker is not a physical sport but only can be considered a mind sport.

I think the difference in defining whether poker is a sport is to figure out if something is automatically a sport if it is played as game. What I mean is football, bbaseball, hockey, are all sports that all have games. Poker, chess, backgammon are all games but would not be considered a sport. They are simply games that require more mental ability to succeed. Sports should be defined by some type of physical ability that leads to playing a game for the sole purpose to win. Poker is a great game, and can almost feel like a sport because there is a lot of tense moments and emotions that can drain you of your energy, the long grueling game play of poker requires stamina, and the competition is as fierce as two heavyweight boxers in a championship fight. Strategy is also important in sports just like it is in poker but the lack of physical activity in poker makes it a game and not a sport. The only way you can consider if poker is a sport is if you call it a mind sport. You are definitely playing a game in your head with poker and the better you play the game the more successful you will become. The ability to read tells, and call bluffs, requires a certain type of mental skill that could qualify poker as a mind sport.

Sports can be categorized in two areas. A physical sport like football, hockey, swimming, golf. etc... or a mind sport like poker, chess, or backgammon. The true essence of sports is the physical activitiesby a team or individual to play a game. Poker can only be considered a mind sport and should not be comparedto any other physical sports. Poker is a game and not a sport but this should not take away from poker.. It is a fantastic game that requires mental toughness, stamina, and a competitive nature to be successful and is much more popular then some sports!.

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