The Taliban has banned a lot of things ... but chess?
The Taliban has banned a lot of things ... but chess?
A former chess coach says a member of the Taliban vice squad told him: "Playing chess is forbidden. Buying a chess set is forbidden. Even watching it — is forbidden." Why was the game banned?
Note
it's worth bringing the banning of chess to the debate of if sports gambling should be banned.
government suspension of any activity is best used as a last resort. leveraging the power of community to have an open discourse about what is encouraged and discouraged may help avoid the slippery slope that is handing over too much authority to a ruling class.
Published
2025
Summary
A former chess coach says a member of the Taliban vice squad told him: "Playing chess is forbidden. Buying a chess set is forbidden. Even watching it — is forbidden." Why was the game banned?
Image
