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Mr.Ram
Enthusiast
Silver Level
Poker is definitely on par with chess; you constantly need to think through strategies and the right moves in every hand. It's no wonder poker is officially recognized as a sport in many countries. However, psychology plays a significant role.
Happy Bobi
Enthusiast
Silver Level
I think so. Although poker is primarily a game of chance, why can't a game of chance be an intellectual sport? I think it's quite possible.
KeyPatience
Rock Star
Platinum Level
As per my opinion, though Poker’s a skill based game; it still has some luck factor involved in it!
Whereas the outcome of a Chess game completely depends on the moves you make!
There is no element where you make a move and then wait for luck to help out further!
Goggelheimer
Legend
Platinum Level
Poker absolutely has a strong claim to being a full mind sport, but the extent of that status depends heavily on the environment in which it’s played.
When you face highly skilled opponents, the game becomes a complex battle of probability, psychology, and long‑term strategic discipline.
Against recreational players, however, the dynamics shift, and the intellectual challenge often lies more in adapting to unpredictable behavior than in executing advanced theory.
The more recreational players dominate the table/tournament phase, the more short‑term luck influences outcomes, which makes the game feel closer to gambling than pure strategy.
In contrast, the stronger the field, the more poker resembles chess with hidden information and deep analytical depth.
In both settings, the mental component remains undeniable, which is why many still argue it deserves recognition as a mind sport.
When you face highly skilled opponents, the game becomes a complex battle of probability, psychology, and long‑term strategic discipline.
Against recreational players, however, the dynamics shift, and the intellectual challenge often lies more in adapting to unpredictable behavior than in executing advanced theory.
The more recreational players dominate the table/tournament phase, the more short‑term luck influences outcomes, which makes the game feel closer to gambling than pure strategy.
In contrast, the stronger the field, the more poker resembles chess with hidden information and deep analytical depth.
In both settings, the mental component remains undeniable, which is why many still argue it deserves recognition as a mind sport.
Oxinthewater
Visionary
Silver Level
Acechador
Visionary
Platinum Level
Yes, poker should be considered a mind sport, with some nuances. It requires logic, probability, decision-making under pressure, and emotional control, just like chess. The main difference is variance: luck plays a role in the short term, but over time, skill prevails.
machinm19
Visionary
Platinum Level
In my humble opinion with the amount of players who win at poker who have hardly no clue what they are doing and the amount of luck involved its would be very hard to have the game classified alongside chess.
It’s not like we can get lucky and win the chess world title but people have actually gotten lucky over and over again and won the wsop main event. The best chess player will usually win, the best poker player might be the first guy out.
It’s not like we can get lucky and win the chess world title but people have actually gotten lucky over and over again and won the wsop main event. The best chess player will usually win, the best poker player might be the first guy out.
