Mon Jul 21, 2008 — by Rick Marshall

Chess Boxing and Comics

Frivolous use of the pawn makes the legs weak, Rock!

Time Magazine recently turned the spotlight on a sport that's worth noting here for two reasons: First, it sounds so bizarre that it could have been ripped off the pages of a comic book; and second, it was pulled from the pages of a comic book.

Welcome to the world of "Chess Boxing," folks.

The chess-boxing combo traces its roots back to a 1992 comic book, titled The Nikopol Trilogy, in which the men of the future box on a chessboard floor. The image inspired Dutch artist Iepe Rubingh to hold — and compete in — the first official chess-boxing bout in Amsterdam in 2003.

According to Time, chess-boxing 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." Victories are earned via knockouts, checkmates, or referee decisions.

The current Chess Boxing champion is a19-year-old Russian math student -- which makes it that much more interesting, as far as I'm concerned.

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