Encyclopedia of Sport: Every sport from around the world
Topend Sports Logo

Chess Boxing

Chess boxing is a hybrid sport that is a combination of chess and boxing; played in alternate rounds. This sport is gaining popularity in Germany, UK, India, and Russia.



This sport was said to have been developed by performance artist Lepe Rubingh in 2003, though other reports state that the pioneers were amateur boxers and chess playing brothers James and Stewart Robinson of South London. It has also been reported that it gains its inspiration from a graphic novel called, Froid Équateur.

The participants in chess boxing must have skills in both sports; they can with a game either way. A full chess-boxing match has eleven rounds, with six rounds of chess, five rounds of boxing and a 1-minute break each round. The bouts start and end in chess play. The chess can last up to three or four minutes, the boxing match can last up to three minutes. The participants only have 12 minutes to use all of their chess moves.

chess and boxing chess and boxing

Chess boxing articipants can win during a boxing round by knocking out the opponent or by calls of the referee. The participant can also win by achieving a checkmate, or if the opponent runs out of time. The participants wear headphones during the chess rounds to block out distractions.

There is even a World Chess Boxing Organization, whose motto is: “Fighting is done in the ring and wars are waged on the board”.

See a video about Chessboxing



Similar Sports

Related Pages

send us a comment Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.

Sport Extra

Check out the 800+ sports in the Encyclopedia of Every Sport. Well not every sport, as there is a list of unusual sports, extinct sports and newly created sports. How to get on these lists? See What is a sport? We also have sports winners lists, and about major sports events and a summary of every year.

 → How to Cite