Lessons in Debating

Things I have learned about debating:

Clarify whether you're debating a fact or another person's opinion. Refrain from making statements... ask questions instead, this lays the burden of proof on the other person.... And finally, I *really* suck at closing a debate!

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I started a debate with a friend, who stated that:
"Chess is the greatest game of all time, followed closely by poker" in one of his articles...

I counter-stated that:
"Monopoly is the greatest game of all time. It has set a huge trend. How many games do you see that are modeled after chess?"

He rebutted:
"Of course there are very few games modeled after chess (I can think of three), because chess, being the greatest game of all time, really needs no improvement."

I clarified:
"Monopoly was never improved upon. It was modeled after, simply because “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.” Where as chess, although a wonderful game, was not quite worthy of such flattery."

He Responded:
"There’s imitation Tupperware too, but I wouldn’t use that a evidence that Tupperware made the greatest containers of all time."

I researched:
"Of course you wouldn’t. You didn’t use anything as evidence that chess is the greatest game of all time. But, just in case you are interested, here are some other sources I would like to cite as further, and more reliable evidence.

Monopoly is the “best-selling board game” according to….

Wikipedia
“Monopoly, the best selling board game in history”

Kelkoo
“Undeniably the best-selling board game in the world, Monopoly…”

EzineArticles.com
“Monopoly is firmly entrenched as the best selling board game of all time.”

and, the Guinness Book of World Records
“best selling board game ever”

.... and if being the “best selling” isn’t good enough evidence for you, it is also considered the “most played board game in the world” and the “world’s most popular board game” by:

Wikipedia
“approximately 750 million people have played the game, making it ‘the most played board game in the world.’”

It’s Publisher
“publisher of the world’s most popular board game, Monopoly”

And finally, the Guinness Book of World Records
“Most Played Board Game”

.... and there are a few people that agree with me as far as Monopoly being the greatest game of all time as well:

Shop Ireland
“Invented during the Great Depression in 1934, Monopoly has since been … best game ever.”

BoardGameGeek.com
“Monopoly, in my opinion, is the single greatest game ever.” and “Without a doubt the greatest game ever created.”

A toy enthusiast from Redditch, Worcestershire United Kingdom
Says that it is the “Best game ever.”

ste2k
... made a list of “The best games ever apart from monopoly (of course)”

Inventors.About.com
“Monopoly is the greatest game ever invented.”

To summarise… “Monopoly is now published in 89 languages and over 200 million copies of the board game have been sold. More than 500 million people have played the game. It has also been adapted as an electronic game. Monopoly is firmly entrenched as the best selling board game of all time.”...Or, the “greatest game of all time” if you prefer.

Now, what were you saying about chess?"

He challenged:
"First, I challenge the idea that Monopoly is the best selling game because there’s no way to accurately track the sale of games like checkers, chess, go, etc. Most retailers don’t keep reciepts going back past the middle ages. Even starting at the release date of Monopoly, tracking chess sales is next to impossible because of the sheer number of manufacturers (as opposed to Parker Brothers’ monopoly on Monopoly).

Second, I challenge the idea that best-selling or most-imitated has anything to do with greatness (if it did, Brittany Spears would be among the greatest singers of all time)."

I concluded:
"Thank you for you concession. Although I don’t particularly like Brittney Spears, I am glad to see that you agree with my premise that an item is determined to be the “best” by popular consensus of it’s desirability (which is often shown by the number of sales.)

Their Greatest Hits (vol. 1), by The Eagles is the best selling record* of all times, and therefore by general consensus is also the “best record of all time.”

When and actor wins an award for “best performance” or “best performing actor” they do so by popular consensus.

The definition of best is “Exceeding all others in quality or excellence; Most suitable, desirable or useful.” – Webster’s

I have demonstrated that Monopoly is much sought after, imitated, best selling, most popular, most played and clearly the most desirable game by consensus using such credible sources as the Guinness Book of World Records. I have obviously supported my stance and won this debate. I appreciate your differing opinion and hope to debate with you on a different topic again soon.

*28 Million copies sold"

He Finalized:
"A) Please work on your reading comprehension skills. I didn’t concede anything.

B) On the contrary, I heartily disagree with your premise and used the example of (the anything-but-great) Brittany Spears as an example of the absolute absurdity of said premise.

C) If you decide what is “best” by popular consensus, I pity you. I choose to form my own opinions rather than yield my thoughts to a committee.

D) The Eagles suck. Citing their record sales** further illustrates the absurdity of determining greatness by the fickle whims of pop culture.

E) Please browse back through past winners and losers of “Best Actor” “Best Picture” “Best Director” Academy Awards. You will find a surprising number of greats who were overlooked, as well several nobodies who were awarded. The most obvious example would be Citizen Kane, today considered (by your precious popular consensus) the greatest film of all time. It won neither Best Actor, Best Picture, nor Best Director. In fact, it was passed over for 8 of the 9 Academy Awards for which it was nominated. The Best Picture that year was How Green Was My Valley, a forgettable film if there ever was one.

F) Notice Webster does not define “best” or “greatest” as “most popular.” There is a reason for this. [see item D]

G) The argument that Monopoly is much sought after and imitated is true, but completely outside of the scope of this discussion.

H) The argument Monopoly is the best selling, most popular, and most desirable game is dubious [see my previous post]. Citing the credibility of a beer company is an “appeal to authority” which is considered (by popular consensus) a logical fallacy.

I) You haven’t supported squat, and awarding yourself the title of winner is just plain silly.

**28 Million copies sold in the US. More copies of Thriller have sold worldwide than Don Henley and his band of no-talent-ass-clowns could ever dream of."

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So which is it... Chess or Monopoly? (And any debating tips, greatly appreciated!)