I remember watching Alyssa Valdez's spectacular debut in the 2015 AVC Women's Champions League, where she led Creamline to that stunning 29-27, 25-20, 25-19 victory over Jordan's Al Naser Club. What struck me most wasn't just the physical prowess on display, but the incredible mental chess match happening simultaneously. As someone who's competed in both chess tournaments and traditional sports, I've come to appreciate how chess embodies the very essence of athletic competition, just through a different medium. The way Valdez had to anticipate her opponents' moves, adjust strategies mid-game, and maintain intense focus under pressure mirrors exactly what happens across a chessboard.

When we examine the 2015 AVC match statistics, Valdez's performance reveals something fascinating about mental athleticism. She didn't just react to plays - she anticipated them, much like a grandmaster foreseeing an opponent's strategy ten moves ahead. The 29-27 first set score alone demonstrates how both teams were constantly adapting, recalculating, and mentally pushing through exhaustion. In my own experience playing in national chess championships, I've felt that same mental drain after four-hour matches where every decision carried tremendous weight. Your brain actually burns through glucose at rates comparable to physical athletes during competition - studies show chess players can burn up to 6,000 calories during tournament days, with heart rates spiking to 140 beats per minute during critical moments.

The global recognition of chess as a sport isn't just some theoretical classification - it's backed by significant institutional validation. The International Olympic Committee recognized chess as a sport back in 1999, and over 180 countries participate in international chess competitions. What many people don't realize is that professional chess players undergo training regimens as rigorous as any traditional athlete. I've known grandmasters who follow strict physical fitness routines because they understand that physical stamina directly impacts mental performance during matches that can last six hours or more. The comparison to Valdez's volleybal career is striking - both require incredible discipline, both have structured professional pathways, and both demand peak mental and physical conditioning.

Looking at the price money in major chess tournaments really drives home its professional status. The 2022 World Chess Championship had a prize fund of 2 million euros, while the Grand Chess Tour regularly offers millions in total prizes across its circuit. These aren't hobbyists playing for fun - these are professionals whose livelihoods depend on their performance, much like Valdez and her teammates competing in the AVC Women's Champions League. I've seen firsthand how young chess prodigies now have training facilities, coaches, nutritionists, and sports psychologists - the complete athletic support system.

What convinces me most about chess's sporting credentials is watching how it's evolved in the digital age. The recent pandemic saw chess explode online, with platforms like Chess.com reporting membership growth from 35 million to over 100 million users between 2020 and 2023. Professional players adapted to online tournaments with prize pools reaching $500,000 for single events, demonstrating the same competitive spirit and professional structure as traditional sports maintaining their operations during global disruptions. The mental fortitude required to compete at that level, often in isolation, parallels what athletes like Valdez experienced when sports moved to bubble environments.

The physical demands might not be immediately apparent to casual observers, but having competed in both realms, I can attest to the similar exhaustion. After my most intense chess tournaments, I've experienced the same physical depletion as after running half-marathons - the body might not have been moving much, but the mental exertion takes a tangible physical toll. Top chess players actually monitor their physical health as carefully as their game preparation, with many maintaining cardiovascular fitness routines to enhance their competitive endurance. When you consider that a single chess game can involve calculating variations through 20 potential moves ahead across multiple branches, the cognitive load becomes astronomical.

Ultimately, the recognition of chess as a sport comes down to understanding that athleticism exists beyond pure physicality. The discipline, the competitive structure, the global governance, the professional pathways, and most importantly the incredible mental demands all align with what we expect from recognized sports. Watching athletes like Alyssa Valdez demonstrates how physical and mental excellence intertwine in competition, and chess represents the purest form of this mental athleticism. As both a chess enthusiast and sports fan, I've come to appreciate that the essence of sport lies in human competition at its highest level, regardless of whether that competition primarily engages the body or the mind. The boundaries we draw between physical and mental sports are increasingly artificial in a world that recognizes excellence in all its forms.

LIGHTING, LIGHTING, AND MORE LIGHTING
People are typically drawn to bars solely based on their atmosphere. The best way to knock your next commercial bar design out of the park is using the perfect amount and type of lighting. Use standout light fixtures as their very own statement piece, track lighting for adjustable ambiance, hanging pendant lights over tables, and ambient backlighting to display the alcohol. Bartenders need to serve and customers need to order, so make sure it’s just functional as it is attractive. 

CHOOSING YOUR BARTOP
What may seem so obvious, is often so overlooked in commercial bar design- the material of your actual bartop itself. While we realize stone and marble are as classy and elegant-looking as can be, the reality is that they just aren’t your best option for a durable and long lasting bartop. They crack, have no grip, and break way too many glasses. Opt for a high-quality wood bar instead. Oaks, maples, mahoganies, and ashes are sturdy and provide your customers with a firm grip for their glasses. 

THEME 
In a sea of millions upon millions of bars, how can you make your commercial bar design stand apart from the rest? The answer is to pick a unique, centralized theme and run with it. Whether it’s your next sit-down restaurant bar design, or remodeling the small, locally-favorite gem, you have to find out what your clientele wants. Survey the neighborhood of your establishment and find out what the demographics are there. Maybe a gritty, western bar would be a hit. Or maybe a more modern, sleek design is what’s missing in the area. Whatever theme you decide upon, hit it out of the park with the perfect lighting, wall art, music, and furniture. It’s all in the details. 

THE GUIDE TO YOUR NEXT RESTOBAR 
You’ve got the food, you’ve got the restaurant, you’ve got the customers, now all you need is a beautifully designed bar to top it all off.  Small bar designs for restaurants have a tendency to be a little thrown together and incohesive with the rest of the establishment. Stay on brand- create consistency with tying in the same color scheme, furniture, art, and overall ambiance of the pre-existing restaurant. Make sure the placement of your bar makes sense as well, have it in a place where it’s visible and easy to navigate but not in the way of servers and other guests. If the bar is going to serve food, be sure to consider the location of the kitchen to not obstruct traffic flow. Consider all of these small tips as you work through your next restaurant bar design. 

SPACE CONSTRAINT 
It’s no secret that bars have the reputation of being a little cramped, and in some cases- way too cramped. Consider all of the space constraints while designing your next commercial bar design and we can change that bad rap that bars have been holding for far too long. First and foremost, be sure to measure your bar, barstool, cabinet, and equipment height. Generally, a bar is 42” in height while a stool is 30” in height. Also be sure to allow at least 3’ of space between the bar and the alcohol for the bartender’s functionality and efficiency. Consider multiple register and drink-making stations for bartenders as well. Allowing 2’ between patrons is going to give them enough space to eat and drink, and most importantly, simply be comfortable. All of these considerations are especially helpful if it is a restaurant bar design, where the space is even more valuable.