Fancy a game of chess interspersed with a bit of a punch-up?
Say hello to
chessboxing, the unique sport for chess players who like to box. Or boxers who like to play chess.
Chessboxing cleverly combines the cerebral with the physical. Brain and brawn are rarely brought together for the purposes of entertainment, but this new addition to the world of sport does just that.
A match is made up of 11 alternating rounds of chess and boxing. The first round consists of four minutes of chess, while the second comprises three minutes of boxing.
And on it goes until a player delivers a checkmate to win with the mind, or a punch to win with the fist (or glove).
If a player fails to make a move during the chess round, a warning is given, after which he must make a move within 10 seconds or face disqualification.
During chess rounds, which also take place in the ring, players wear headphones so that they can't receive assistance from any members of the audience.
Chess boxers need to be highly skilled in both disciplines. It's no good if you've got a decent upper cut but don't know your rook from your knight. By the same token, you may be a dab hand at creating a
pawn chain, but what good is that if you can't dodge a left hook?
This growing sport is a marvellous idea for those who like to mix it up a bit.
If you don't like what your opponent did with his bishop, or he humiliates you with one of his pawns, you can take it out on him by punching him in the face. You wouldn't get away with that in an ordinary game of chess, which is one of the things that makes chessboxing so special.
For those who'd like to give it a try, there are several places in London where you can go.
Islington Boxing Club runs training classes which cover brain training, body training, non-contact training (if you want to take things a step further there will be a chance to train against an opponent later), and actual chessboxing training so that you can get used to combining the two.
Sessions cost £15 each, or £80 for eight. It's free for those under 17. It doesn't matter if you've never picked up a chess piece or stepped inside a boxing ring - all are welcome.
Alternatively there's the
Ringcross Chessboxing Club, also in Islington. They're offering free classes on Tuesdays, from 5pm until 6.30pm.
If you'd rather spectate than make a move or take a punch, check out the
events page of the London Chessboxing website.
