Chess Boxing

[GrahamStuart]

From GingerGM Chess -

Wherever you are in the world, you can watch my Chessboxing debut live exclusively on the Chessboxing YouTube channel here. Tune in today, Saturday July 6th at 19:00 BST / 14:00 EDT / 11:00 PDT for exciting live coverage of a full evening of Chessboxing - it’s free!

https://www.youtube.com/chessboxing

I'm making my chessboxing debut for the coveted WCBA British Heavyweight Title Bout. Get ready for a night of brains, brawn, and the ultimate test of both – prepare yourselves for Matthew "The Minotaur" Coldwell vs. GM Simon Williams! This is your invitation to see me in action for some strategic brilliance on the board, punctuated by heart-stopping action in the ring; four minutes of chess, one round of boxing, repeat until there's checkmate or a KO!

I think Southampton Chess League President Matthew "The Minotaur" Coldwell will need a KO in the boxing to win, but with Simon Williams being in his mid 40's I think he will struggle if he cannot win in the first two chess rounds.

[John Upham]

From GingerGM Chess -

Wherever you are in the world, you can watch my Chessboxing debut live exclusively on the Chessboxing YouTube channel here. Tune in today, Saturday July 6th at 19:00 BST / 14:00 EDT / 11:00 PDT for exciting live coverage of a full evening of Chessboxing - it’s free!

https://www.youtube.com/chessboxing

I'm making my chessboxing debut for the coveted WCBA British Heavyweight Title Bout. Get ready for a night of brains, brawn, and the ultimate test of both – prepare yourselves for Matthew "The Minotaur" Coldwell vs. GM Simon Williams! This is your invitation to see me in action for some strategic brilliance on the board, punctuated by heart-stopping action in the ring; four minutes of chess, one round of boxing, repeat until there's checkmate or a KO!

I think Southampton Chess League President Matthew "The Minotaur" Coldwell will need a KO in the boxing to win, but with Simon Williams being in his mid 40's I think he will struggle if he cannot win in the first two chess rounds.

I'm pretty sure I will be washing my hair when this is broadcast plus I have a subsequent engagement.

[Peter Ackley]

I can't seem to find anything - is it just me?

[GrahamStuart]

I can't seem to find anything - is it just me?

I think the email was a bit misleading, it said free, but seems to be only for paid members. It will probably be posted on their You Tube channel in a day or so.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

There's a picture of a very battered looking Simon Williams having his hand raised by the referee on the chess boxing facebook site, so I guess he won.
https://www.facebook.com/chessboxingnation

[Peter Ackley]

Yes - I received word this morning from someone at the event that Simon won a brutal fight.

[LawrenceCooper]

I can't seem to find anything - is it just me?

I think the email was a bit misleading, it said free, but seems to be only for paid members. It will probably be posted on their You Tube channel in a day or so.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e157HrHqgkg

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

That was a horrible combination of inept boxing and terrible chess. Do people pay to watch this?

[Peter Ackley]

I have to admit, watching it, that I wish I was there. I can see Jon's point but, from the other side people were enjoying themselves and were out of the house doing something, the event looked well run with not just chess boxing but various other events for those attending and from a chess boxing POV, for amateurs, people had clearly put effort in. It might not have been world championship boxing but it was far above what I thought I might see with technical form understood well. I also appreciated the nuances - both in terms of the boxing affecting people's chess play, people rushing chess games to avoid another boxing bout (or playing slowly to get another one in).

Does it make me want to take part? No - alas eyesight would prevent me full stop. But it does make me wish I could and certainly next time there's an opportunity I'll take it up far quicker.

Big thanks to those involved in the organisation - hope the event was a success for you and you keep doing this in the future.

[Paul Habershon]

The 2024 Bedfordshire chess champion, Mike Botteley, has a chess boxing past: https://www.chessboxing.info/fighter/191220193056

[John Upham]

That was a horrible combination of inept boxing and terrible chess. Do people pay to watch this?

Sadly yes, Apparently it is termed "entertainment".