from the WRN file:
Saturday, December 6 and Sunday, December 7 2003: Radio Netherlands
On "Amsterdam Forum" Radio Netherlands' weekly topical panel debate show driven by questions from listeners: A new sport has been born in the Netherlands - Chess Boxing. Competitors go toe to toe across the chessboard and in the boxing ring in a combined event testing mental and physical capabilities to the limit. Opponents begin with four minutes of chess then two minutes of boxing - the cycle continues for six rounds of chess and five for boxing, unless of course there is a knockout or a checkmate in the meantime. A "World Chess Boxing Organization" has been set up and the first "world championships" have just been held in Amsterdam. The backers of the new sport, the brainchild of a Dutch artist, say they hope it will become an Olympic event by the year 2016. They say it is the ultimate mental and physical challenge to find an all out champion. Will the concept take off?
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This might be a more efficient way of selecting our presidential candidates. :-)
I bet somebody like James Bond would excel in this.
Of course, in his case, one would have to add a third category of competition to chess and boxing -- lovemaking. And with such a 3rd category, the new sport could attract such celebrities like Michael Jackson ("I'm a lover, not a fighter") and Arnold Schwartzeneggar (the groping governor).
Could this become more popular than extreme fighting?
You betcha!