When you think of sport, you generally think of something that involves great amounts of physical exertion like football, running, or swimming. Even motorsports, which involve cars, bikes, and other mechanically and electrically-propelled vehicles, are physical affairs. For example, a Formula 1 driver can drop as much as 4kg of their body weight during a race due to fluid loss from sweating.
Mind sports, on the other hand, are generally competitions that exert your brain rather than your muscles.
Some people criticise them and argue that they are not “true sports”, but they are extremely competitive and are sure to get your pulse racing, even if you are still sitting down.
But which mind sports are the most exciting and how can you watch them?
Chess
Chess is, perhaps, the biggest and most-watched mind sport of them all. It’s certainly the oldest and has been seen by some governments as a way to show off the intellect of their citizens.
Some chess players are even household names, such as Gary Kasparov and Bobby Fischer. These famous players are often able to acquire more recognition and status than competitors from other mind sports, though this may simply be because other disciplines haven’t had the same amount of time to grow.
You can watch chess on dedicated chess streaming websites like ChessTV as well as more general sites like Twitch and YouTube. This means you can usually enjoy a chess game for free, which makes it incredibly accessible.
Poker
Poker is another popular mind sport and one that has really exploded in viewership and participation in the last couple of decades. While the game itself is several hundred years old, variants like Texas Hold’em evolved in the early 20th century.
However, it wasn’t until the 1970s that the first big competition formed. Known as the World Series of Poker, that tournament continues to be one of the biggest events on the poker calendar today.
There are millions of people that watch poker games and sites like PokerNews cater to them by providing coverage from events, news about players, and guides on how to become a better player.
You can also find some poker games on traditional television networks, particularly cable/satellite sports channels, as well as on streaming platforms like Twitch.
Esports
Esports are a sub-category of mind sports since there isn’t just one single esport. They are competitions where the best video game players come together and battle for glory (and large prize pools).
Just about any video game can become an esport, though you’re unlikely to find tournaments or leagues for niche and/or old titles like Firefighter F.D. 18 or Barbie: Explorer, despite the list of esports being long.
Some of the biggest games include League of Legends, Call of Duty, Fortnite, Gran Turismo, and Dota 2. Many of the most successful teams and players can rake in millions of dollars in prize money each year, with even more earned from sponsorship deals.
You can find esports events primarily on streaming platforms like Twitch, but some traditional TV broadcasters now also carry games.
