Pro@programming.dev to World News@lemmy.worldEnglish · 2 days agoThe Taliban has banned a lot of things ... but chess?www.npr.orgexternal-linkmessage-square23fedilinkarrow-up158arrow-down14
arrow-up154arrow-down1external-linkThe Taliban has banned a lot of things ... but chess?www.npr.orgPro@programming.dev to World News@lemmy.worldEnglish · 2 days agomessage-square23fedilink
minus-squarejordanlund@lemmy.worldMlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up2·2 days agoI could see chess being a problem for the Taliban a couple of different ways… First, as in the article, gambling. “Buh, buh, chess isn’t gambling!” Tell that to any number of street chess hustlers in the US, and there are LOTS of them. https://www.chess.com/blog/Rodgy/i-flew-to-new-york-to-play-hustlers Second, graven images. The Taliban takes that seriously, to the point of blowing up Buddha statues.
minus-squarephutatorius@lemmy.ziplinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up2·24 hours agoIn stricter Muslim countries, the chess pieces are more abstract-looking. That’s not really the issue. The real issue is that they hate anything that makes life enjoyable.
I could see chess being a problem for the Taliban a couple of different ways…
First, as in the article, gambling.
“Buh, buh, chess isn’t gambling!” Tell that to any number of street chess hustlers in the US, and there are LOTS of them.
https://www.chess.com/blog/Rodgy/i-flew-to-new-york-to-play-hustlers
Second, graven images. The Taliban takes that seriously, to the point of blowing up Buddha statues.
In stricter Muslim countries, the chess pieces are more abstract-looking. That’s not really the issue.
The real issue is that they hate anything that makes life enjoyable.