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Chess boxing

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Re: Chess boxing

#42
post #4

The Wu-Tang Clan Classic: Da Mystery Of Chessboxin' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJk0p-98Xzc

On a related note, RZA is big fan of chess. Doesn't surprise me to see the Wu-Tang clan have a chess themed song.

In a 2007 interview [2] he says that, based on Josh Waitzkin's appraisal, his (unofficial) ELO rating would be around ~1400 ELO

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/07/arts/music/07clan.html [2] http://www.uschess.org/content/view/7924/349/

Edit: Updated with source

Re: Chess boxing

#43
post #14

An operating theory of chessboxing i have heard is that it's really, really hard to play chess very well at all once you've been punched in the head. As such, chessboxing is essentially boxing, with extended breaks between rounds, during which the contenders happen to play chess.

In the words of David Mitchell (paraphrased) Mike Tyson would be a very good chess boxer given that after the first boxing round, his opponent would be unconscious.

Re: Chess boxing

#44

During the peak of my athleticism, another high level athlete friend and I got very interested in Chess boxing, but he was a FAR better chess player than I and I was a far better martial artist than he. We ended up settling on playing Scrabble-apples (non-referral link: https://www.amazon.com/Parker-Brothers-4979-Scrabble-Apple/d... ), sort of a "each player builds their own scrabble crossword in front of them" game.…

There were days when I had time to exercise for 2-3 hours straight, and I figured I would save time by trying to write some code or invent some app in my head while doing jumping jacks and other workouts. After a few hundred of them, I couldn't concentrate on anything but the counting and making sure my form was okay, and after a while even that took a lot of effort to focus on.

Re: Chess boxing

#45
Does anyone have a chess scoresheet (bonus points for annotation!) showing the caliber of board play? I'm assuming the openings are solid but the middle game and endings start to get very odd.

Re: Chess boxing

#46

So nobody here sees nothing wrong trying to hit somebody as hard as you can in their face? And encouraging the youth to be good at it? Personally when I see a boxing match and see somebody hit in the face it hurts me. I think that's called empathy. Getting used to boxing means you get used to seeing violence and it doesn't hurt so much any more. Then when the moment comes for you to hit someone in the face I guess it…

I play chess and have boxed and done martial arts, although never together in the same ring. I found chess more destructive than boxing — it serves little to no cardiovascular benefit, and can be hugely addictive. (Bullet chess and competition play can readily take over your life, and I've seen careers and relationships destroyed by it.) The fittest people I've ever met have been boxers. Yes, the risk of head trauma…

Right getting hit still hurts, but seeing somebody else get hit does not hurt so bad, once you start paying to go to see a boxing match. I'm not REALLY against boxing let people do what they want to do. But I think the viewpoint that it idolizes knocking other people out is worth bringing into the discussion. Ali was the greatest but even he suffered brain damage because of boxing I believe. And then Tyson was the greatest but he was violent even outside the ring.

Re: Chess boxing

#47
post #29

So nobody here sees nothing wrong trying to hit somebody as hard as you can in their face? And encouraging the youth to be good at it? Personally when I see a boxing match and see somebody hit in the face it hurts me. I think that's called empathy. Getting used to boxing means you get used to seeing violence and it doesn't hurt so much any more. Then when the moment comes for you to hit someone in the face I guess it…

In fact, competitive chess requires adapting a very merciless mindset and swapping empathy for "killer instinct". In one interview - with Peter Thiel, by the way - current WC Magnus Carlsen was asked about Josh Waitzkin. (Waitzkin is a fairly well known and highly talented chess player, whose biography inspired the movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer". He's left chess for martial arts since.) Carlsen half-jokingly sai…

You are right chess can be harmful too. Those wasted hours studying and memorizing start-games and end-games and then as you say the hatred. Maybe it's good mental exercise but you might better use your time studying mathematics physics science or engineering and that way help yourself and others better.

Re: Chess boxing

#48

During the peak of my athleticism, another high level athlete friend and I got very interested in Chess boxing, but he was a FAR better chess player than I and I was a far better martial artist than he. We ended up settling on playing Scrabble-apples (non-referral link: https://www.amazon.com/Parker-Brothers-4979-Scrabble-Apple/d... ), sort of a "each player builds their own scrabble crossword in front of them" game.…

There were days when I had time to exercise for 2-3 hours straight, and I figured I would save time by trying to write some code or invent some app in my head while doing jumping jacks and other workouts. After a few hundred of them, I couldn't concentrate on anything but the counting and making sure my form was okay, and after a while even that took a lot of effort to focus on.

That's the exact reason that I enjoy going to the gym and exercising, especially intervals and other high intensity exercise without long breaks. It's a great way to shut off from work and other things in life for a while.

At least for a while, none of that matters, because you're more concerned about your immediate situation.

It's the same reason that I enjoy hiking and hunting. No point in worrying about your bills or relationships or work when you're 12 hours walk from the road, and 4 hours drive back home.

It's a much healthier form of escapism than drugs or alcohol.

Re: Chess boxing

#49

So nobody here sees nothing wrong trying to hit somebody as hard as you can in their face? And encouraging the youth to be good at it? Personally when I see a boxing match and see somebody hit in the face it hurts me. I think that's called empathy. Getting used to boxing means you get used to seeing violence and it doesn't hurt so much any more. Then when the moment comes for you to hit someone in the face I guess it…

> Getting used to boxing means you get used to seeing violence and it doesn't hurt so much any more. I practiced thai boxing for many years and it may sound odd, but I don't really see boxing as a violent sport, no more than let say soccer. I've never hit anyone (other than on a ring) and never will, and I hate violence as much as most people. In the context of boxing I see hitting as a technical move. Besides the oc…

Isn't thai-boxing like Karate or fencing where you stop before you actually hurt the opponent, having shown that you could do it? Whereas in boxing there is no such conception of stopping before you actually hit.

Does boxing cause brain damage? This article says: "Almost certainly": https://www.livescience.com/1519-boxing-brain-damage.html

Re: Chess boxing

#50

So nobody here sees nothing wrong trying to hit somebody as hard as you can in their face? And encouraging the youth to be good at it? Personally when I see a boxing match and see somebody hit in the face it hurts me. I think that's called empathy. Getting used to boxing means you get used to seeing violence and it doesn't hurt so much any more. Then when the moment comes for you to hit someone in the face I guess it…

> Getting used to boxing means you get used to seeing violence and it doesn't hurt so much any more. I practiced thai boxing for many years and it may sound odd, but I don't really see boxing as a violent sport, no more than let say soccer. I've never hit anyone (other than on a ring) and never will, and I hate violence as much as most people. In the context of boxing I see hitting as a technical move. Besides the oc…

I also don't think boxing is especially 'violent' but people do get hurt. I used to box competitively on a college team (NCBA) and almost every fighter on the team above ~140lbs had had at least one concussion, with the frequency of concussion increasing with the weight of the fighter. The coaches took every precaution with headgear and sparring only with 20oz gloves, and official fights had doctors ringside, but the rate of concussions was still insane. The personality changes can be drastic in the short/long term and several teammates mentioned failing exams days after their fight. I really miss it but won't ever compete again because I'm afraid of the long-term risks. The ironic thing is, getting hit in the body always hurt less for me than a head-shot.
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