Lately, chess has regained its popularity. But, do you know that there’s a sport that challenges its players to compete with their physical prowess and brains at the same time? Yup, it’s called Chess Boxing, a popular hybrid sport in Amsterdam.

Chess Boxing is a hybrid sport that combines chess and boxing where the contestants compete in alternating rounds of chess and boxing. To put it simply, the contestants will box in one round, and play chess in the next one. 

For more details about Chess Boxing, make sure to check out this article!

What is Chess Boxing?

As mentioned above, Chess Boxing is a hybrid sport of chess and boxing. This sport originates in 1992 by the French artist, Enki Bilal, who was trying to come up with a new idea for his comic book, Froid Équateur. 

Froid Équateur portrays a chessboxing world championship where two athletes fight an entire boxing match (in a ring painted like a giant chessboard) before competing in a game of chess.

It took more than a decade for Chess Boxing to come to life -- in 2003, the first official match of Chess Boxing was held in Berlin.

Nowadays, there are numerous chess boxers around the world. There’s Andrew McGregor from the US, one of the greatest athletes in the sport. McGregor is a photographer, filmmaker, and the founder of the Los Angeles Chess Boxing Club.

The rules in Chess Boxing are rather simple. In 11 rounds, players alternate between boxing and chess. The boxing rounds last three minutes each, while the chess rounds last four. Players can win through KO or checkmate. If neither of these situations is met, the boxer with the highest point wins.

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One of the most challenging aspects of this sport is mental preparedness. It’s a demanding sport as it requires the contestants to give their best during the fight, and they need to calm their selves down to be able to think and play chess -- the process repeats six times.

The official Chess Boxing Global website describes the sport as “a rare blend of contrasting skills” that requires the athletes to combine “a powerful body with a sharp mind”.

What makes this sport stands out is the transitions between extreme physical combat and intellectual combat. 

“In the ring, the fighter is fueled by testosterone, adrenaline, and skill. Three minutes later, he changes battlegrounds. The contender has only seconds to restrain his fighting instinct and move into the silent logic of his mind. It is the only sport in which the heart, mind, and body perform in total harmony.”

List of Chess Boxing Champions

WCBO (2003–2012)

World Champions

2003: Iepe Rubingh

2007: Frank Stoldt

2008: Nikolay Sazhin

2009: Leonid Chernobaev

European Champions

2005: Tihomir Dovramadjiev

2010: Gianluca Sirci

2015: Sergio Leveque

2015: Sergio Leveque

2016: Sergio Leveque

CBG

2013: Nikolay Sazhin

2013: Leonid Chernobaev  Belarus

2013: Sven Rooch

So, those were the details about the unique sport that combines boxing and chess. Stick around for more anime and gaming info, and make sure to follow Dunia Games on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.  

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