UK Court Ruling - Brain Is A Muscle - So Chess Is A Sport!

[Sean Evans]

Ruling: Brain Is a Muscle, So Bridge/Chess Are a Sport

Chess and board games may soon join the ranks as 'mind' sports

By Elizabeth Armstrong Moore, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 30, 2015 7:51 AM CDT

(Newser) – It turns out that your 60-something aunt retired to Florida to be a jock, and the "mind games" she dominates aren't the ones you're thinking of. Rather, bridge is an actual sport because the brain is a muscle, a judge in the UK has ruled, and other mind games such as chess and Scrabble could soon join the ranks of the sports world as well. The issue came about when the English Bridge Union requested that bridge be officially recognized as a sport, giving it privileges that include access to government and lottery funding, as well as international competitions, reports the National Post. Not everyone was amused. Sport England, which handles said funding, has already suggested it will fight the ruling because bridge is more closely related to "sitting at home, reading a book."

Judge Nicholas Mostyn of the British High Court, however, ruled that it is at least "arguable" that bridge be considered a sport given it works the brain, which is a muscle. "To gain permission to seek judicial review, you must have a realistic and not fanciful chance of success," he said, admitting he occasionally enjoys bridge himself. "You are doing more physical activity playing bridge, with all that dealing and playing, than in rifle shooting"—already a recognized sport. The Daily Dot adds that the ruling could potentially pave the way for competitive gaming, which just debuted this week on ESPN2 much to the chagrin of some viewers, reports the New York Daily News. (This issue isn't new; chess and bridge have already been rejected as Olympic sports.)

[syzygy]

(This issue isn't new; chess and bridge have already been rejected as Olympic sports.)

Of course for chess and bridge to be rejected as olympic sports, they had to be recognised as sports first.
Home > The IOC > Recognised Sport Federations > Chess
Home > The IOC > Recognised Sport Federations > Bridge

[S.Taylor]

I would prefer that chess would be more like a brilliant game of genius and showcase of human potential, but not by way of endurance of the brain muscle.

Or what?

Do most of us prefer to see chess mainly as a dual of physical muscle and endurance?

Yasha Heifetz said that to be a great violinist is to be a great athlete. But I wouldn't really fancy having THAT as part of the agenda at the olympic games. (But one COULD. e.g. to see who can play paganini caprices the fastest before making x number of mistakes/missed notes).

Or maybe the SOUL is also a muscle????.

[Evert]

Rather, bridge is an actual sport because the brain is a muscle, a judge in the UK has ruled,

Well, someone seems to have failed their basic biology.

Sport England, which handles said funding, has already suggested it will fight the ruling because bridge is more closely related to "sitting at home, reading a book."

While I object to the narrow definition that sport necessarily involves displays of physical prowess,

"You are doing more physical activity playing bridge, with all that dealing and playing, than in rifle shooting"—already a recognized sport.

... this is pretty ridiculous.

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

Ruling: Brain Is a Muscle, So Bridge/Chess Are a Sport

Chess and board games may soon join the ranks as 'mind' sports

By Elizabeth Armstrong Moore, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 30, 2015 7:51 AM CDT

(Newser) – It turns out that your 60-something aunt retired to Florida to be a jock, and the "mind games" she dominates aren't the ones you're thinking of. Rather, bridge is an actual sport because the brain is a muscle, a judge in the UK has ruled, and other mind games such as chess and Scrabble could soon join the ranks of the sports world as well. The issue came about when the English Bridge Union requested that bridge be officially recognized as a sport, giving it privileges that include access to government and lottery funding, as well as international competitions, reports the National Post. Not everyone was amused. Sport England, which handles said funding, has already suggested it will fight the ruling because bridge is more closely related to "sitting at home, reading a book."

Judge Nicholas Mostyn of the British High Court, however, ruled that it is at least "arguable" that bridge be considered a sport given it works the brain, which is a muscle. "To gain permission to seek judicial review, you must have a realistic and not fanciful chance of success," he said, admitting he occasionally enjoys bridge himself. "You are doing more physical activity playing bridge, with all that dealing and playing, than in rifle shooting"—already a recognized sport. The Daily Dot adds that the ruling could potentially pave the way for competitive gaming, which just debuted this week on ESPN2 much to the chagrin of some viewers, reports the New York Daily News. (This issue isn't new; chess and bridge have already been rejected as Olympic sports.)

As a doctor of human medicine,I accept this statement as some kind of joke....

The brain tissue is not a muscle....even my 1st grader son knows that....

[Dann Corbit]

Ruling: Brain Is a Muscle, So Bridge/Chess Are a Sport

Chess and board games may soon join the ranks as 'mind' sports

By Elizabeth Armstrong Moore, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 30, 2015 7:51 AM CDT

(Newser) – It turns out that your 60-something aunt retired to Florida to be a jock, and the "mind games" she dominates aren't the ones you're thinking of. Rather, bridge is an actual sport because the brain is a muscle, a judge in the UK has ruled, and other mind games such as chess and Scrabble could soon join the ranks of the sports world as well. The issue came about when the English Bridge Union requested that bridge be officially recognized as a sport, giving it privileges that include access to government and lottery funding, as well as international competitions, reports the National Post. Not everyone was amused. Sport England, which handles said funding, has already suggested it will fight the ruling because bridge is more closely related to "sitting at home, reading a book."

Judge Nicholas Mostyn of the British High Court, however, ruled that it is at least "arguable" that bridge be considered a sport given it works the brain, which is a muscle. "To gain permission to seek judicial review, you must have a realistic and not fanciful chance of success," he said, admitting he occasionally enjoys bridge himself. "You are doing more physical activity playing bridge, with all that dealing and playing, than in rifle shooting"—already a recognized sport. The Daily Dot adds that the ruling could potentially pave the way for competitive gaming, which just debuted this week on ESPN2 much to the chagrin of some viewers, reports the New York Daily News. (This issue isn't new; chess and bridge have already been rejected as Olympic sports.)

As a doctor of human medicine,I accept this statement as some kind of joke....

The brain tissue is not a muscle....even my 1st grader son knows that....

It sounds like an April fools day gag.
Perhaps this judge thinks using muscles.
That would explain a lot.

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

Ruling: Brain Is a Muscle, So Bridge/Chess Are a Sport

Chess and board games may soon join the ranks as 'mind' sports

By Elizabeth Armstrong Moore, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 30, 2015 7:51 AM CDT

(Newser) – It turns out that your 60-something aunt retired to Florida to be a jock, and the "mind games" she dominates aren't the ones you're thinking of. Rather, bridge is an actual sport because the brain is a muscle, a judge in the UK has ruled, and other mind games such as chess and Scrabble could soon join the ranks of the sports world as well. The issue came about when the English Bridge Union requested that bridge be officially recognized as a sport, giving it privileges that include access to government and lottery funding, as well as international competitions, reports the National Post. Not everyone was amused. Sport England, which handles said funding, has already suggested it will fight the ruling because bridge is more closely related to "sitting at home, reading a book."

Judge Nicholas Mostyn of the British High Court, however, ruled that it is at least "arguable" that bridge be considered a sport given it works the brain, which is a muscle. "To gain permission to seek judicial review, you must have a realistic and not fanciful chance of success," he said, admitting he occasionally enjoys bridge himself. "You are doing more physical activity playing bridge, with all that dealing and playing, than in rifle shooting"—already a recognized sport. The Daily Dot adds that the ruling could potentially pave the way for competitive gaming, which just debuted this week on ESPN2 much to the chagrin of some viewers, reports the New York Daily News. (This issue isn't new; chess and bridge have already been rejected as Olympic sports.)

As a doctor of human medicine,I accept this statement as some kind of joke....

The brain tissue is not a muscle....even my 1st grader son knows that....

It sounds like an April fools day gag.
Perhaps this judge thinks using muscles.
That would explain a lot.

Indeed....

IIRC,there is a colleague neurologist in our forum....

He will laugh his a$$ even louder than me if he reads the materials above....
Dr.D