When most people think of sports, they think of physically demanding contests. However, in the realm of sports that don’t take place on a pitch or court, competitions don’t require athleticism but are rather a battle between two brains. These activities can be just as entertaining to watch as traditional sports and are relatively accessible, allowing for an easier entry point for new players. In this article, we’ve dissected the most popular mind sports in the world.
Poker
Despite its origins in gambling houses and casinos, professional poker has become one of the world’s most popular and profitable sports to take place around a table. At the professional level, poker attracts large audiences through televised tournaments such as The World Series of Poker (WSOP). In 2023, the WSOP Main Event No-Limit Hold’em World Championship saw more than 200,000 entrants, indicating just how popular this game is.
Poker experienced a boom with the advent of online poker rooms in the early 2000s, helping to create household names. New players can compete against other players or real-life dealers, with sites such as Paddy Live Casino offering several video poker titles with buy-ins that appeal to all players. While the rules of poker are quite simple, it takes years to master its nuanced approach, so practice is essential.
Chess
Chess is another game that has experienced a major resurgence in the past five years. The game boasts over 500 million global players and has been popular since the early 20th century.
The International Chess Federation governs the professional chess scene, with tournaments culminating in the annual World Chess Championship.
Successful chess players must master strategy, calculation, and planning to overcome their opponent, as well as a deep understanding of complex tactics. Like many of these games, a player’s skill at chess is often regarded to indicate intelligence levels, and its champions are highly regarded in and outside the chess world.
Bridge
Although not as popular as chess and poker, bridge is a complex card game with a strong global following. The game, which is recognized by the IMSA, is played by two teams of two players and requires good memory, concentration, stamina, and strategic planning.
Major tournaments attract players from around the world, and although it tends to attract an older demographic, is still one of the more complex sports on this list. For this reason, it can take years to master the game of bridge.
Checkers
Checkers, or “draughts”, is one of the most popular sports under this category due to its simplicity and accessibility.
The game is often an entry point to chess, which is similar in its game board design and the aim to capture opponents’ pieces. However, at a professional level, high-stakes tournaments exhibit clever strategizing, logic, and analytical skills. The World Draughts Championship is the premier international competition, which sees global players compete in a round-robin format across a 10-day tournament.
Conclusion
These games have endured for centuries due to their accessibility, inspiring players and onlookers to display impressive intelligence, strategy, and planning. Whether it’s poker, chess, draughts, or bridge, these popular games can be enjoyed at all levels, with professional players earning acclaim and, potentially, huge cash prizes.