Taliban authorities have barred chess across Afghanistan until further notice over concerns it is a source of gambling, which is illegal under the government’s morality law, a sports official said on Sunday.
Up next: the Taliban authorities indecisive about it’s next move, after people start betting on what they’ll ban next
Easy! They’ll ban people!
The people that voted for “people” get a (small) payout.
They could just ban gambling instead
For people who dont know, this has to do with how people used to play chess during the early Islam days as it had a gambling component. Anything that contain a dice roll is prohibited. Thats why we see the gambling parts in these news. Modern chess is completely different which is not taking into account by Taliban.
In addition to how many hours you spend playing a game as you are not suppose to spend hours on unproductive things.
Also for people who dont know, chess doesnt make you good at critical thinking or enhance your thoughts process. It might have that ability if you mix it as part of other mental activity, but in general playing chess makes you good at chess.
The main issue, how they plan to enforce that rule.
Interesting, I wasn’t aware of that connection of chess and early islam, though I was somewhat aware that during the 17-19th centuries, in Europe and USA at least, dice games were seen as “street gambling”, but card games were not.
The main issue, how they plan to enforce that rule.
Given it’s the Taliban, my bet (heh) is on them sending the wives and daughters of players to jail “as a warning”
Making men who play chess wear hijab might help with this problem.
…I’m guessing this is another North Korea haircut story?
Sounds like someone lost $50 to a game of chess
The fun police back at it
Literally this. They cannot stand the thought of people having a good time.
Maybe it’s really because chess is one of the traditional ways to escape oppression. There’s more than a few top players that have done so, and speak out about it.
I go to Vegas for the chess.
I always put my money on black Rook.
You fool! The en passant odds are through the roof!
