Chess Boxing? A Successful Hybrid?

Are you serious? Chess Boxing? This is the result you get when you mix brawn with brains. Chess Boxing became an official sport in Europe in 2001 and was created by Dutch Artist, Iepe Rubringh. He was inspired by the fictional ideas in a comic by French comic book artist and filmmaker Enki Bilal.

The World Chess Boxing Organization (WCBO) governs, monitors, and markets the sport throughout Europe in hopes of expanding it someday to overseas. In order to succeed and win the match, dominating in both aspects of the sport is needed. The matchup between two opponents consists of elven rounds which alternates with four minutes of chess(basically speed chess), 3 minutes of boxing, and lastly one minute of break so that they can change their equipment and yes, it is played inside a boxing ring. Competitors may win either through knockout, checkmate, or judge's decision, or if their opponent's twelve mintue of chess time elapses.

Now what does this have to do with business you say? Well WCBO's objective is to expand this hybrid sport overseas and establish it into today's market. But Rubringh's envisioned that maybe, just maybe, someday it will be considered as a game in the Olympics because it really forces you to mentally train your mind and physically get in shape.