What would you consider Holdem as, a game or a sport? This is an ongoing debate and we are not here to put and end to it through this article. However, most of the poker enthusiasts are divided on whether to call Holdem a game or to call it a sport. Some of the experts feel that it’s just a game and some of them believe that Holdem is a sport.

Both have their own reasoning and we don’t want to justify as to who’s wrong and who’s right. Some experts do feel that Holdem is both, a game and a sport in itself. The reasoning behind calling Holdem a game and not a sport is that unlike in any other sport, there is no athletic ability required to play Holdem.

True, Holdem does not require you to be athletic then what about chess and caroms? Would they too be just a game? Well, lets not get into it. For some Holdem is a sport as it involves competitiveness, skill and discipline which is the core of any sporting action and this is what we are going to focus on. However, it’s not about convincing you that Holdem is a sport but its about convincing you on the approach to the game which will benefit you while playing Holdem. If you approach the game as a sport you will stand to have many advantages over people who view it just as a game.

Agree that the game does not require you to move from the chair but the game does involve a lot of thinking and you need to focus on the game for a long time which will drain you out mentally. The level of focus required is extremely high in order to play the game at the optimum level.

Only if you have a healthy body and a healthy mind, can you concentrate for so long and this will help in improving your game. Almost all sports require regular practice and it is no different in Holdem. Practice helps the sportsman become perfect in their discipline and similarly in Holdem too a player requires a lot of practice to understand and play well.

The more you practice the better you understand the game and your chances of winning increases. Like the performance in sports is monitored and tracked, some professional poker players do the same too. This helps them in avoiding mistakes or recognizing their areas of strength. Now thats analyzing your game. Once you know your strengths and weakness, you will be able to shape your game accordingly. These are few of the things that you wouldn’t do if you look at Holdem as a game.

It’s not about Holdem being recognized as a sport but is to change the way you look at the game and approach it. Right approach will help you in focusing better and you will have advantage over others. So why not consider it a sport and put in your efforts to improve as you would have done in any other sport.