======Sporting Events in the Wizarding World======
=====Introduction=====
The wizarding world places a high value on magical sports and competitive games, which serve as sources of entertainment, school pride, and international camaraderie. These events range from the globally popular team sport of [[Quidditch]] to ancient, dangerous tournaments and strategic board games. They are deeply integrated into the culture of witches and wizards, particularly within the student life at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]].
=====Quidditch=====
[[Quidditch]] is by far the most prominent sport in the wizarding world. It is a team game played on flying [[broomstick]]s by two teams of seven players each.
  * **Objective:** The primary goal is to score more points than the opposing team. Points are scored by throwing the [[Quaffle]] through one of three fifty-foot-high hoops (10 points per goal) or by the team's [[Seeker]] catching the [[Golden Snitch]] (150 points). The capture of the [[Snitch]] also ends the game.
  * **Players and Equipment:**
    * **Three [[Chaser]]s:** Handle the [[Quaffle]] and attempt to score goals.
    * **Two [[Beater]]s:** Use bats to protect their teammates from the two aggressive [[Bludger]]s and hit them towards opponents.
    * **One [[Keeper]]:** Guards the team's goal hoops.
    * **One [[Seeker]]:** Attempts to catch the elusive [[Golden Snitch]].
  * **Significance:** [[Quidditch]] is a major part of life at [[Hogwarts]], with the four houses competing for the [[Hogwarts Quidditch Cup]] each year. It is also a professional sport, culminating in the [[Quidditch World Cup]], a major international event that draws massive crowds, as seen in //Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire//.
=====The Triwizard Tournament=====
The [[Triwizard Tournament]] is a magical contest held between the three largest wizarding schools in Europe: [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]], [[Beauxbatons Academy of Magic]], and the [[Durmstrang Institute]].
  * **Structure:** One student champion is selected from each school to compete in three dangerous and challenging magical tasks. The champion who performs best across the three tasks wins the [[Triwizard Cup]].
  * **History:** The tournament was established some seven hundred years ago as a means of fostering friendly relations between the schools. However, due to the high death toll, it was discontinued for centuries.
  * **Role in the Story:** The tournament was revived during [[Harry Potter]]'s fourth year, with added safety measures. However, the event was sabotaged by [[Barty Crouch Jr.]] on the orders of [[Lord Voldemort]], leading to the death of [[Cedric Diggory]] and the dark lord's return to power. The tasks involved stealing a golden egg from a [[dragon]], rescuing a hostage from the [[Merpeople]] in the [[Great Lake]], and navigating a magical maze.
=====Wizarding Duelling=====
While primarily a martial skill for self-defence, [[duelling]] is also practised as a formal sport. A wizarding duel involves two or more participants casting spells at each other under a set of rules.
  * **Formal Duels:** As seen in the [[Duelling Club]] organised by [[Gilderoy Lockhart]] in //Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets//, formal duels involve participants bowing before they begin and are typically non-lethal, focusing on disarming or incapacitating an opponent.
  * **Significance:** [[Duelling]] proficiency is a highly respected skill. It is a fundamental part of a wizard's education, particularly in [[Defence Against the Dark Arts]], and is essential for survival in combat situations like the [[Battle of Hogwarts]].
=====Other Games and Competitions=====
Beyond the major athletic sports, the wizarding world has numerous other magical games and competitions.
  * **[[Wizard's Chess]]:** A magical version of the classic board game. The pieces are animated and move of their own accord when commanded. When a piece is captured, it is violently destroyed by the attacking piece. [[Ron Weasley]]'s skill at this game proved crucial in overcoming Professor [[Minerva McGonagall]]'s enchantment protecting the [[Philosopher's Stone]].
  * **[[Gobstones]]:** A magical version of marbles. The main difference is that when a point is scored, the winning stone squirts a foul-smelling liquid into the loser's face. It is popular among younger students at [[Hogwarts]], which has its own [[Gobstones]] Club.
  * **[[Exploding Snap]]:** A magical card game where the cards have a tendency to spontaneously explode during play, requiring quick reflexes from the players.
  * **Quodpot:** A popular wizarding sport in the United States, invented by the wizard Abraham Peasegood in the eighteenth century. It involves two teams passing an explosive ball, the Quod, and trying to get it into the "pot" at the end of the pitch before it explodes. (//Quidditch Through the Ages//).