Taliban bans chess in Afghanistan: A look at previous global crackdowns on the ancient game

In a fresh blow to people’s freedom in Afghanistan, the Taliban has officially banned the game of chess, calling it “haram” under their interpretation of Islamic law. According to a report by Khaama Press, the ban was announced by the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in the Taliban government.

The ministry also confirmed that the Afghanistan Chess Federation has been dissolved and all chess-related activities are now suspended until further notice. This latest crackdown adds chess to the growing list of banned activities in Afghanistan, like cricket for women and education for girls beyond primary school.

Afghanistan, where the Taliban has been steadily imposing religious restrictions since returning to power in 2021, has become a very difficult place to live not just for women and girls but also for people who love doing things that are considered “haram” or forbidden by the government ruled by religious fanatics.

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But this isn’t the first time the game of chess has come under fire in different parts of the world.

Iran’s complicated relationship with chess

After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran banned chess, saying it encouraged gambling and went against Islamic values. Many religious leaders called the game un-Islamic, and players had to practice in secret. One of the earliest talents to flee was Kamran Shirazi, who went on to represent the United States and later France in international competitions.

However, in 1987, Ayatollah Khomeini declared chess to be permissible but only if it wasn’t used for gambling. Even after that, strict political and religious policies continued to affect players, especially if they played any Israelis.

In 2017, 15-year-old chess prodigy Borna Derakhshani was banned from representing Iran after he played a match against an Israeli opponent. He later moved to the UK, where he continued his career. Another big name, Alireza Firouzja, also left Iran in 2019 after facing similar restrictions.

Firouzja, who became a grandmaster at just 14, switched to playing for France and has since become one of the top-ranked chess players in the world.

China’s chess ban during cultural revolution

In China, chess faced a very different kind of ban. During the Cultural Revolution (1965–1976), chess along with many other games, books, and cultural activities was banned as it was considered a symbol of capitalism. The government at the time, under Mao Zedong, cracked down hard on anything seen as Western.

However, things have changed drastically in modern China. The country now fully supports chess, and in 2023, Ding Liren became the first Chinese player to win the World Chess Championship.