Afghanistan Suspends Chess Indefinitely, Citing Sharia Law and Gambling Fears
By: IDNN Global Sports & Policy Desk
Kabul, Afghanistan – In a move that has stunned both the international sports community and cultural historians, the Taliban government has officially banned the game of chess, citing concerns that the sport may encourage gambling and violate Islamic principles.
“There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess,” said Atal Mashwani, spokesperson for the Taliban’s General Directorate of Physical Education and Sports. “Until these considerations are addressed, the sport is suspended.”
The announcement is the latest in a string of sweeping cultural and recreational restrictions since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. While the regime claims it is evaluating chess under Islamic law, critics say the decision is yet another attempt to suffocate free expression and intellectual growth.
Religion or Regression?
Though chess is widely celebrated across the Muslim world—played openly in Iran, Turkey, Egypt, and the UAE—the Taliban have adopted a stricter, often isolationist interpretation of Sharia law.
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Reason for Ban: Potential links to gambling
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Scope: Applies nationwide, all tournaments halted
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Impact: Clubs, cafes, and chess communities shut down
“Young people don’t have many options anymore,” said Azizullah Gulzada, a cafe owner in Kabul who hosted local chess tournaments. “Now even this has been taken.”
🧠 Why This Matters: Chess Isn’t Just a Game in Afghanistan
Chess has long served as a symbol of strategy, patience, and critical thinking in Afghan society. It’s played in tea houses, schools, and homes—across generations and classes.
Banning it means:
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Fewer mental development outlets for youth
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Suppression of intellectual culture
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Economic loss for cafes and communities that relied on chess competitions
A Pattern of Bans Under the Taliban
This isn’t an isolated act. Since seizing power, the Taliban have banned:
| Activity | Official Reason |
|---|---|
| Women’s Sports | “Violates modesty laws” |
| MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) | “Too violent, un-Islamic” |
| Face-punching sports | “Contradicts Sharia” |
| Music performances | “Encourages immorality” |
The ban on chess follows the Taliban’s August 2024 prohibition on MMA and the 2022 shutdown of female athletics programs. Experts warn of a complete rollback of Afghanistan’s cultural identity.
Global Reactions: Shock, Dismay, and Condemnation
The ban has triggered waves of criticism from:
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International Chess Federation (FIDE)
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Human Rights Watch
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UNESCO
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Global Muslim scholars
“Chess is not gambling. It is education,” said a spokesperson for FIDE, demanding immediate reversal.
IDNN Takeaway
This isn’t about chess—it’s about control.
The Taliban’s ban on chess is a symbolic attack on logic, free thought, and community resilience. It echoes a grim return to the cultural repression of the 1990s, but in a digitally connected world where resistance is louder and more organized.
In a nation already stripped of women’s rights, music, and freedom of movement, chess—one of the last non-political intellectual refuges—has fallen.
If a pawn can no longer advance in Afghanistan, what hope does the king have?