The Afghan Taliban government has reinstated a ban on chess, citing its association with gambling, a practice deemed forbidden in Afghanistan's laws and the Quran. This ban echoes the regime’s earlier prohibition of the game from 1996 to 2001, while after 2021, chess was tolerated for men but not women. The inconsistency raises questions as other sports generating heavier betting revenue remain unscathed. An anonymous Afghan chess player revealed the dangerous environment for enthusiasts in Afghanistan. During the past chess Olympiad, much of the team consisted of exiled players due to travel restrictions faced by those within the country.
In Afghanistan, chess reflects the complexities of Taliban rule, oscillating between tolerance and outright bans, with the latest prohibition linked to concerns over gambling.
Despite chess being associated with gambling, other sports, like football, that generate significant betting revenue remain untouched, highlighting the selective enforcement of rules by the government.
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