Sunday, October 09, 2005

Sounds Like Fun

Chess and boxing, alternately:

Chess boxing is one of the newest and most unlikely hybrid sports, designed to test both brain and brawn. A typical match consists of up to 11 alternating rounds of boxing and "blitz" chess sessions.

Contestants start with a four-minute chess round, then it's into the ring for a two-minute bout of boxing. A minute's break to tend wounds and remove gloves and the sweaty competitors, towels around their necks, sit down at the chess board again.

The form of chess played is "blitz" chess. Competitors have a total of 12 minutes on the clock before the match is over.

"I was just curious," said Tobias Gries, a 30-year-old from Berlin who watched Saturday's championship. "It is one of most unusual combinations possible, so it was interesting to see how these totally contrasting games could be brought together."


I remember Norm MacDonald joking about an Olympic sport in which contestants would run 400 yards and then fish. This seems more ridiculous but way more fun to watch. From Pejman's new site.

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