Chess clubs around the world might just get a whole lot cooler. The sport of chess-boxing is gaining popularity fast in Europe and has started to jump the pond and pick up an audience here in the U.S. If you are like me at this point you are probably saying to yourself “What the fuck is chess-boxing?”. Well it’s about as simple as it is awesome. Two dudes get into the ring and alternate between playing chess and beating the shit out of each other.
The matches work like this: competitors alternate between three-minute rounds of boxing and four-minute rounds of speed chess with one-minute breaks in between to get the gloves off and hunker down at the chess table. The winner is determined by knockout, checkmate, or referee decision.
It’s probably a little easier to capture some chump’s queen after you’ve just spent three minutes trying to rearrange his face with your fists. Note to self: start working on chess skills and boxing skills ASAP.
Check out the video for some chess-boxing action.
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Now that is a sport that needs balance and harmony. One needs to calm the inner beast in order to destroy the enemy both physically and mentally. Chess round should only really last 2.5 mins. tops, 4 mins is far too long for speed chess. I’d like to see this click in the US with a little UFC twist.