Is chess really a spectator sport?

Is chess really a spectator sport?

Board games weiqi and xiangqi made appearances at the Asian Games this year, but not everyone’s convinced they belong
By Peter Holland
29 November, 2010

Just like the Olympics, the Asian Games are held every four years. The event attracts competitors from 45 nations and territories in the region.

The Asiad hosts international sports not contested in the Olympics such as bowling, cricket, golf and rugby.

In addition, there are a few sports of Asian heritage, such as dragon boat racing, wushu and sepaktaraw (a volleyball-type sport played with the feet, rather than hands).

But the 2010 Asiad marks the first appearance of Chinese board games weiqi (go) and xiangqi (Chinese chess) in the competition. These follow the introduction of international chess at the 2006 Asiad in Doha.

Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, who famously support the World Bridge Federation’s attempt to add the card game to the Winter Olympics, take note.

Like international chess, xiangqi is a game in which strategy is paramount. Each player moves 16 circular pieces one at a time around a board nine lines wide and ten lines long. The aim is to capture the opponent’s general and win the game.

Do board games in which competitors never get out of their seats belong in an international athletic competition? More importantly, who watches weiqi and xiangqi being played, anyway?

I attended the xiangqi gold medal matches in Guangzhou to find out.

Here is the full article.