Hello, dear readers!

Today, I would like to talk about something that might sound absurd, especially to us chess enthusiasts. Believe it or not, our beloved game has been banned for various reasons in different parts of the world at different times.

"But Vanessa, how can such an innocent, mind-stimulating activity like chess be forbidden?" Well, to be honest, I don't have a reasonable answer either. All the justifications I read during my research seemed ridiculous to me.

Nevertheless, it is my duty to tell you the story behind those bans. Therefore, I invite you to join me in exploring and learning more about them. Human history is full of polemics and stupid decisions that have sometimes led us to dark times or halted progress for decades. Obviously, nothing can escape that. Not even board games.

But if you think that such nonsense is a thing of the past and that humanity has finally evolved, I have some bad news for you.

Against stupidity, the gods themselves contend in vain.

- Friedrich Schiller

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.

- Albert Einstein

Luckily, reading my blog is not forbidden yet! So, let's go!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 - CHRISTIAN BANS

2 - ISLAMIC BANS

3 - UNIVERSITY BANS

4 - THE TERRIBLE BAN

5 - THE MOST RECENT BAN

CONCLUSION

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CHRISTIAN BANS

To start, let me provide some context. Chess has been banned or restricted in various places and times, but the reasons behind it are usually not too different or creative. Almost always, it was primarily for religious or political motivations, as with virtually any other form of censorship throughout history, whether it be films, songs, or other cultural pieces.

I will try my best to remain neutral throughout the text and apologize in advance if my atheist opinions become too evident. As expected, the first records of chess being banned were in Europe by the (guess what?) Catholic Church!

There are several examples of idiotic decisions made in the Middle Ages by absolutist kings influenced by the Church. They normally did absurd things for the sheer pleasure of demonstrating power. While this may not be the only factor that caused the prohibition of chess, it's curious that they banned a game known for peacefully simulating something they loved to do in real life.

The earliest documented instance I could find was in 1061, when Cardinal Bishop of Ostia, Peter Damian, wrote to Pope Alexander II to complain about many priests playing chess, specifically mentioning the Bishop of Florence.

Damian was prejudiced against because he couldn't play. Rather than learning it, he decided that if he couldn't, no one else could either. His complaint led to a resolution banning the clergy from playing chess. As punishment, The Bishop of Florence had to wash the feet of twelve poor people and give them coins. I laughed because the sentence was like... forcing him to do what a priest is supposed to.

Other notable examples include:

• In 1125, Bishop Guy of Paris threatened to excommunicate any priest caught playing chess.

• In 1329, the clergy banned chess at the Synod of Würzburg, which is located in present-day Germany.

• Still in the 14th century, around 1375, King Charles V banned chess in France. The ban was not lifted until 1422, during the reign of his son, Charles VI.

• Just a few years later, in 1464, England enacted an identical law under the reign of King Edward IV (1442–1483).

The reasons behind all of them were essentially that chess was often associated with the Church's disapproval of ‘frivolous pastimes’. Very ironically, the decision is what is, in fact, frivolous here, and not the game. But I will stop complaining, let's move on to the next section.

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ISLAMIC BANS

But you certainly didn’t think that Christianity was the only religion to have done absurd things in the past, did you? Unfortunately, extremism is everywhere, and people make decisions that have nothing to do with their faith just because. For example, many prominent Islamic leaders recently banned chess in their respective countries, too.

The two most notable examples are Afghanistan and Iran, but they have also occurred in other predominantly Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt. This is often due to religious interpretations in which the game is considered to be a form of gambling, a waste of time, and a potential cause of hatred. I mean... what?

The first record dates back to 1005, when it was banned in Egypt by Caliph Al-Hakim. To make sure the decision would be respected, all chess sets and pieces were ordered to be burned. This was because graven images were considered Satanic. The ban lasted for a significant period, although I could not confirm exactly when it was lifted.

More recently, already in the 20th century, it was Iran's leaders who had this brilliant idea again, when chess was banned right after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. They justified this by claiming that it encouraged gambling, excess, warmongering, and a lack of focus on ritual prayers. It's amazing how times change, but the bollocks remain the same.

However, Ayatollah Khomeini later lifted the ban, recognizing the game's intellectual merits. Of all the criticism he deserves, we could say that even a broken watch is right twice a day.

Another chess ban also occurred during the first Taliban regime in Afghanistan in 1996. Given their radicalism and literal interpretation of sacred texts, this does not surprise me at all. But we will be speaking about them later in a 'special' section of this article.

And let's also be fair to each of the places. For example, there has never been a formal ban on chess in Saudi Arabia. What actually happened was that, in 2016, the former Saudi Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, issued a fatwa, a formal religious law, declaring chess to be 'haram' (forbidden).

For those confused, a Grand Mufti is a high-ranking religious figure in Sunni Islam who is considered the ultimate authority on Islamic law. However, this was a religious ruling, and not an official, legally binding national ban. At least the government was reasonable in this case.

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UNIVERSITY BANS

While working on my research for this text, I came across one of the most unbelievable news I have ever read. The idea that something like that could happen sounded surreal, but the article suggested that chess had been banned at the famous University of Oxford in 2023.

The reasons given were even more absurd, such as the claim that chess shamelessly upholds the oppressive legacy of the British monarchy. They also said that it perpetuates a system of authority and control that is incompatible with their progressive ideals. Having read everything in detail, my reaction was simply, “No, this can’t be!”

Luckily, I was right! After a little more digging, it soon became clear that this website is not to be taken seriously and that anyone can create fictional news there. This means we can breathe a sigh of relief. Of course, universities, the epitome of intellectual development, where human knowledge is built and passed on, would never ban a game like chess. Correct?

Wrong! It turns out that, although the situation in 2023 was fake, our beloved game was indeed banned at Queen's College, Oxford, in 1340. As expected, the church had a huge influence, but I thought this deserved a special mention.

According to the book The Medieval English Universities: Oxford and Cambridge to c. 1500 by Alan B. Cobban, chess and other games of skill were considered distractions from more important spiritual activities. The time and energy spent on these 'futilities' was believed to be better used on things deemed more virtuous, such as prayer or, in this case, study.

However, at the other major university of the time, King's College, in Cambridge, it remained an exception and was still permitted, despite the existence of similar rules regarding games in general.

Another episode occurred in 1380 when William of Wykeham (1324–1404), the Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor of England, banned chess for scholars for disciplinary reasons. Trying to be comprehensive, if someone pulled a sword out because they lost a board game, it would be understandable to be reluctant about it.

The good news? Although these prohibitions were written and therefore official, chess continued to be played in many places. People always found ways to play it secretly. In some cases, the ban was ignored or not enforced by those who enjoyed the game. That at least saves a little bit of our faith.

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THE TERRIBLE BAN

Russia is another country that has suffered greatly from authoritarian decisions by its leaders throughout history. I am not only referring to the current geopolitical situation, but to many other examples from the past as well.

Tsar Ivan IV Vasilyevich (1530–1584), also known as 'Ivan the Terrible', received this nickname from most historians due to his cruel and tyrannical rule, which included widespread violence and terror. While it is true that he centralized power and expanded the Russian state, his reign was marked by mass executions and brutal repression.

Turning to chess, he banned the game in 1551. The official reason was that the Russian Orthodox Church considered it to be a form of gambling. Do you think I am being repetitive? Sorry, but it's not my fault; it's human history that is.

Anyway, still in 1550, the religious leaders pressured him to take this action. Since no one can be tyrannical without the help of other influential allies, he conceded, despite being a fan of the game himself. The Church Council confirmed this ban a year later.

The leading clerics then produced the Stoglav Collection, also known as the 'Book of One Hundred Chapters', which contained the Church Council's decisions on canon law and pastoral life. Among these decisions was the prohibition of chess.

On a positive note, this regulation was not enforced as effectively as they would have liked, since many Russians continued to play the game anyway. Of course, like any hypocritical, powerful person, Ivan still played chess himself, and nobody was foolish enough to question him for disrespecting his own laws.

Therefore, we could argue that, unlike Saudi Arabia, this ban was official but never really implemented in everyday life. So, it was all for nothing.

The most ironic twist of fate is that divine justice was served in 1584, when a scene worthy of the film franchise Final Destination took place (who has watched the sixth episode?). Ivan fainted and died suddenly exactly while preparing to play a game of chess. Is it appropriate to celebrate someone’s death? Usually not, but I believe there are some fair exceptions, and he is one of them.

Chess was banned in Russia once again in the 17th century. In 1649, Tsar Alexis (1629–1676) had some chess players whipped and imprisoned for playing the game. Unfortunately, I could not find much more information about this period.

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THE MOST RECENT BAN

Finally, we come to the most recent chess ban, which was enforced only a few weeks ago and is still in place. If you follow the news, you are probably aware of it. If not, I am informing you now that chess is currently forbidden in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime.

The reasons are not at all different from the ones you have already read about. They mainly cite religious concerns and the potential for gambling. As a result, all chess-related activities in Afghanistan have been put on hold indefinitely, and the country's National Chess Federation has been dissolved. Shocked? Sadly, I am not.

After all, this is nothing new for them. As I mentioned earlier in the section about the Islamic bans, this same regime had already banned chess there in 1996. The real surprise is that it did not happen earlier after they rose to power again in 2021. Sports Directorate spokesperson Atal Mashwani declared:

Chess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a means of gambling. There are religious considerations regarding it. Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan.

Azizullah Gulzada, the owner of a cafe in Kabul, the capital city, that has hosted informal chess competitions in recent years, obviously disagrees with this decision. Although he said he would respect the suspension, he added that it would hurt his business and the people who enjoy the game.

Many other Islamic countries have players on an international level. Young people don't have a lot of activities these days, so many came here every day. They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess.

Although the term "temporary suspension" suggests a review period, no timeline or a concrete roadmap has been provided for when, or if, chess activities may resume. Personally, I am not optimistic.

Still, some people remain hopeful that the ban can be reversed. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the former president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), has recently said that he has prepared an appeal to the Taliban leadership requesting that they reconsider their decision.

As lovers of the game, we can only hope for a modicum of reasonableness from a political group known for the exact opposite. Do you really believe it? But well, honestly, the prohibition of chess is probably one of the least concerns of the Afghan people at the moment.

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CONCLUSION

Thank you for reading my blog! I hope you discovered new things. In my opinion, this topic is very interesting to learn about, despite being somewhat nonsensical at the same time. It evoked a mix of feelings in me while I was writing and researching the text. Usually anger and incredulity, but I am sometimes too biased.

There were probably other times in history when chess was banned that I did not bring up here. If you know of any occasion I failed to mention, please let me know in the comments section, so I can lose faith in humanity once again. What is one more drop for someone who already has an ocean of indignation?

The good news is that I can share this wrath with my readers.

But relax, because since my mood was not the best this time, I will try to write something lighter for the next article. Hopefully, you will enjoy it too! Although I haven't decided on a theme yet, it is always good to balance things out, right?

Also, for the first time since January, there will be a sixteen-day interval between two posts. Take care, and we will meet again on June 15!