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Chess boxing

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Re: Chess boxing

#21

Post by yodsanklai »

galaxyLogic wrote: post #11

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 occasional bruises, rare broken ribs or black eyes, I've never injured myself. Most of the time, you practice with control and with various protections, wary of your partner level.

Competitions are more violent, but even there, there's a gradation. Fighters are matched by skills and weight, depending on their level use protections (helmet, shin guards), and the referee is there to stop the match if needed.

Re: Chess boxing

#22

Post by rdiddly »

galaxyLogic wrote: post #11

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 wouldn't necessarily equate boxing with violence. They're relying on training, discipline and rules, not trying to kill each other.

Actually if it came down to trying to do real violence, I think a lot of boxers wouldn't be any more prepared mentally than anyone else. It's orthogonal, in other words. On the other hand the physical training lends some advantages in defending oneself (but also in grocery-carrying, train-catching and everything else).

I also wouldn't equate offensive hitting and defensive hitting. When it comes to defensive, what you say is true: "when the moment comes for you to hit someone in the face," it helps to be mentally prepared for it. That moment may arrive by someone else's decision.

Finally when it comes to self-defense, hitting someone in the face specifically (unless it's an eye gouge or something) is really not a good thing to do without padded boxing gloves on. Faces are bony!

Re: Chess boxing

#23

Post by Theodores »

You may be surprised to learn that chess does get played in prison, not by many people but those that do indulge can end up extremely good at it after a year or two (or more!!!) inside. In this other world of chess there can be betting involved too, so the stakes can be high, which is good for improving skill levels. After all, who wants to lose a game if one's mates have bet significant sums on you winning?

Chess boxing seems to be in a similar vein of getting people to play the game, reaching out to those that otherwise might not play.

Re: Chess boxing

#24

Post by bluGill »

twic wrote: 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.

But if you can defend in the ring, and find the quick win on the board...

Re: Chess boxing

#25

Post by tentakull »

nyolfen wrote: post #13
galaxyLogic wrote: post #11

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…

this is more than a little condescending towards boxers. thank goodness we have the blessed empath to show us the error of our ways.

hallowed be his name, let his gentle nature guide us to a more gooder future

Re: Chess boxing

#26

Post by Swizec »

tomsthumb wrote: post #16
galaxyLogic wrote: post #11

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…

The most common comments I hear from people who have become proficient at various types of violence are: They experience less desire to assert themselves physically because they understand who they are and feel more secure in themselves. They understand that you can’t really tell who is and isn’t worth getting into an altercation with just by looking at a person. There are a lot of very unassuming people who are quit…

My favorite part of [good] boxing gyms is that anyone who comes in there expecting to do violence quickly gets paired with the most seasoned opponents who put them back in line. These violent types then either never show up again, or get the hint and start playing nice.

Personally I like boxing because there's something incredibly confidence building about knowing that you can handle getting punched in the face and keep going. Very empowering.

It's a lot less unpleasant than most people imagine.

Re: Chess boxing

#28

Post by zacharycohn »

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. Whenever you run out of tiles in your hand, you say "Peel!" and everyone draws an additional tile from the bag.

We put the bag at the bottom of a snow covered, forested hill.

2+ hours of snowy hill sprints combined with trying to make words out of scrabble tiles later... I fully appreciate how difficult it is to transition back and forth between brain and body heavy activities.

Re: Chess boxing

#29

Post by V-2 »

galaxyLogic wrote: post #11

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 said Waitzkin hadn't succeeded in high level chess due to his insufficient killer instinct, which apparently made him settle for a "more peaceful" sport :) https://youtu.be/ZBnSU-LX1ss?t=1h2m

Or to quote former world champion Karpov, "Botvinnik, Korchnoi and Kasparov had to hate the opponent to play successfully" (Botvinnik and Kasparov = other WCs, Korchnoi was a close contender for the title).

Is that something we should be encouraging the youth to be good at? ;)

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