12 Established 1961 Sports Tuesday, March 27, 2018 or : lands a The rules of are simple

BERLIN: With his dental guard still in his mouth and a in boxing,” said Cazeneuve, 24, a recruitment consult- slightly queasy feeling in his gut, a shirtless Thomas ant. “I held on thanks to my mental strength,” he added. Cazeneuve was exuberant after checkmating his oppo- In fact, “60 percent of the winning moves are made on nent during a chess boxing bout in , the world the and 40 percent in boxing,” said capital of the unusual sport. Rubingh, a 43-year-old Dutchman. Recalling the Just as deft in the movement of his rooks as with his sport’s gestation, chess-lover Rubingh said that it fists, Cazeneuve claimed victory against his Ukrainian began in 2002, when, after a round of chess that ended challenger after seven alter- in , he suggested to nating rounds of boxing and a friend that they go for a chess. The match played out boxing bout at a bar in before a crowd of curious . “The idea was onlookers drawn to the spec- born, but we were sober,” he tacle of the so-called You need to said. “Combined, the two “Intellectual Fight Club”. sports are the amalgamation Chess boxing was born 16 be good in of the most beautiful capaci- years ago when its founder ties of human beings to cre- Iepe Rubingh brought to life both disciplines ate a type of supreme a seemingly far-fetched idea being,” he said. The author from a French graphic novel, of the graphic novel, Bilal, “Cold Equator” by Enki Bilal. told AFP that he found it Today, Rubingh has set his “rather amusing that the sights on introducing chess boxing to the Olympics and idea that was potentially absurd had become reality”. even looking at sending robots into battle, as the multi- disciplinary sport gains popularity. The ‘MORE KASPAROV THAN TYSON’ boxing are simple. Three minutes of gentlemanly chess While it was considered more a curiosity than a real played on a board in the ring is alternated with three- sport in the beginning, chess boxing has gained a minute bouts of intense boxing over 11 rounds-six of strong following, including chess fans who have crossed BERLIN: File photo shows Daniel Biman (R) and Mohamad Kadija attend a chessboxing fight during an chess, five of boxing. over to the more physical realm of boxing. Alina Rath, a amateur fight event at the Intellectual Fight Club IX in Berlin on December 15, 2017. — AFP The winner has to earn either a boxing knockout or 29-year-old German, has been a member of a chess a checkmate on the , but either chess boxer club for 20 years but only began adding boxing to the can be disqualified for taking too long to make a chess mix in August. “Chess boxing breaks down cliches of MAN VERSUS ROBOT? companies to partner him in organising a series of move or by breaking the boxing rules. the rough guy who only knows how to beat up the Regular exhibition games are organised, pitting matches pitting men against robots. weak intellectual,” said the accountant. Although Rath players of all nationalities. “Our aim this year is to cre- “I would fight against a robot with artificial intelli- ‘WE WERE SOBER’ says she feels “more like Kasparov than Tyson”, she ate a professional league financed by investors and gence and which is much stronger than us in chess but “You need to be good in both disciplines, which can said she was tempted to sign up for the dual discipline partners,” said Rubingh, who is pushing for the sport to also weaker in terms of reflexes,” he said. “Every year, I be quite complicated. But it’s true that one mustn’t be after five years of practice in mixed martial arts. be included in the in Paris in 2024. would challenge the best of the robots and it would afraid of being punched,” said Rubingh. The biggest Some 3,500 people are card-carrying members of 11 To gain publicity for the sport, Rubingh has another become increasingly difficult for me to win as they difficulty may be staying lucid to pull off the winning federations in countries including Britain, and seemingly space-aged idea up his sleeve. This time, he improve. chess move despite the physical demands of boxing. . And it is Berlin that is the undisputed headquar- is turning to science fiction guru Isaac Asimov for “The day that I lose, the machine will have overtaken “It was my toughest fight with a rival who is a total ters of the sport after the World Chess Boxing inspiration. Taking a leaf from Asimov’s series depicting mankind,” said Rubingh, who is dreaming of a million- all-rounder, and who has left me exhausted, especially Organisation was set up there in 2004. man’s fight against the machine, Rubingh wants robotic dollar fight in New York’s Times Square. —AFP Advantage Vettel, Stung Mercedes but Hamilton can vow to bounce feel confident back after ‘one : Sebastian Vettel won the first round of what could be a long and lively Formula One title fight with that got away’ Lewis Hamilton on Sunday but the Ferrari driver may be the one with more to worry about as they leave Australia. Champions Mercedes messed up in MELBOURNE: Mercedes have vowed to bounce Melbourne, their mistake denying Hamilton what had back in Bahrain next month after throwing away looked a nailed-on victory from pole position, but they Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix to also left rivals in no doubt about their pace. Ferrari, with team boss Toto Wolff admitting it was “At the moment we’re a bit worse off,” Vettel told tough to take. Sebastian Vettel got the jump on reporters after repeating last year’s opening win thanks world champion Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes blun- to a pitstop during a virtual safety car period that dered their calculations on the Ferrari ace’s pit stop wrong-footed Mercedes, whose data wrongly indicated MELBOURNE: Ferrari’s German driver Sebastian Vettel (C), second-placed Mercedes’ British driver Lewis under Virtual Safety Car (VSC) conditions. Hamilton had him covered. Hamilton (L) and third-placed Ferrari’s Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen (R) attend a press conference after Vettel went on to keep Hamilton at bay for his “Last year we had more pace at this point. If you the Formula One Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on Sunday. — AFP second straight win in Melbourne and third overall. look at the gaps the whole weekend, we’re not yet a It’s a defeat that sticks in the craw of Mercedes and true match,” added the German, who is vying with team principal Wolff, who is determined the cham- Hamilton to become a five-times champion. But rivals also pointed to Mercedes’ qualifying ‘par- tail of Raikkonen. “We are convinced that we had a pion team will not repeat the same error again. “I think if you look, and you are fair, then Lewis was ty mode’ engine setting with concern. “Mercedes is better car than Ferrari, though the Mercedes still prob- “This was one that got away and it’s a bitter pill for fastest whereas last year I think we were fastest and it playing with everyone... with that engine, no one can ably had something in hand,” said Red Bull principal us all to swallow,” Wolff said. was very, very close.” Last year, Vettel led from beat Mercedes. They’re in a different world,” Red Bull Christian Horner. Melbourne is a hard track to overtake “Following Lewis’s pit stop, we believed that we Melbourne to Monza before his challenge imploded. motorsport consultant Helmut Marko was quoted as on but Bahrain is next up and more open. Vettel won had the scenarios of both the safety car and the vir- Hamilton took pole on Saturday with one of the saying after qualifying. Despite the pessimism, and the there last year when it was the third race of the season tual safety car covered, so that Sebastian could not great qualifying laps of his career, lapping a massive absence of Red Bull drivers from the year’s first podium, but Hamilton will also fancy his chances. pit and come out ahead of Lewis on track. 0.664 quicker than Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen. The time Melbourne did not dispel hopes of a three-way team “We still got second. It feels like a dark cloud but it’s “We should have been several seconds safe, then may have flattered him, with the Briton producing a battle. Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who finished fourth not,” the Briton had said on Sunday. “We have a great suddenly saw on the TV screens that we were not. near-perfect lap while Vettel would doubtless have after starting eighth following a grid penalty, set the car, we are still the world champions and with a couple “Of course, under the VSC sometimes you benefit been closer had he not made a mistake. fastest lap of the race for Red Bull and was right on the of adjustments we can win the next race.” — Reuters and sometimes you lose out but it was clearly a problem on our side and we need to analyse that to understand what happened and correct it.” Wolff said what was particularly frustrating was that Mercedes had the pace to win the Melbourne Professionalism race. “Lewis was in control through the opening stint, then after the pit stop as well, and looked on course for a strong victory but it wasn’t to be,” he has changed rugby, said. “Congratulations to Ferrari on their win. For us, it’s a tough one to take, but there are lots of lessons says Hugo Porta to be learned so we can come back stronger next time.” Mercedes have already set their sights on the second race of the season in Bahrain on April 8. LONDON: Argentina great Hugo Porta says rugby’s Corinthian spirit has taken a hit in the professional era and ‘NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE’ believes it is vital the sport holds on to its unique identity. Hamilton said he was bewildered to find himself The 66-year-old former Pumas fly-half, capped 58 times behind as Vettel emerged from the pits to hold on to for Argentina, said the gruelling international schedule the lead around the notoriously-restrictive Albert makes it difficult for players from opposing teams to bond Park street circuit. “I did everything I could, but it’s and that the game lacks the conviviality of previous not what anyone expected to happen,” said the decades. Porta, who opted for rugby instead of football, Briton. said players do not have time to absorb the culture or “I’m still in a little bit of disbelief as I don’t really immerse themselves in the countries they visit. “I think one of the best things that rugby gave me when I was understand what happened yet. “At least in my heart playing was the opportunity of touring countries as a I know that I gave everything this weekend. I’m sure youngster,” said Porta, who played for just one club, Banco the team is feeling pain right now but we will Nacion, for his 24-year career. “Nowadays the teams are regroup and we’ll work on it.” For his part Vettel playing one weekend in Japan then the next in London and believes Ferrari’s 2018 car is not currently “a true the next one in Buenos Aires. They don’t get to know the BUENOS AIRES: File photo taken on April 17, 1999, former rugby player Hugo Porta (C) from Argentina match” for Mercedes, despite having won the first people they are playing against or their culture.” reaches for the ball as Berrie-Jon Mather tackles him, in Buenos Aires, during a friendly match between race. Vettel and teammate Kimi Raikkonen had Porta, who is an architect by profession, told AFP about the Argentine “Los Pumas” and an international team of players.—AFP been unable to challenge Hamilton in Melbourne his enduring friendship with South African great Morne du qualifying, both finishing almost seven-tenths of a Plessis. “I played my first game against the Springboks second off the defending champion. when he played 40 years ago and now our families are admits the game has changed. “Professionalism means we still the same type of people,” said the 41-year-old. “I The German conceded he was “a bit lucky” to friends and I have friends everywhere thanks to my tour- can’t always have as many beers as we want and we need played in Japan for a number of years, which is a very win, and admitted Ferrari was not yet where it ing days. “I think that is one of the things that rugby is los- to respect that,” he said. “That is where organisations like diverse culture, but the rugby thread is very similar in the wanted to be. “If you look at the gaps the whole ing, its conviviality and spirit.” Porta said he understands the Barbarians, who were kind of losing their role in the manner in which we interact with each other. weekend, we are not yet a true match (for that World Rugby cannot treat every country the same game, bring back that romanticism around the game and “There is an incredible amount of respect for each oth- Mercedes),” he said. “Therefore at this point we and has to respect the culture of every nation but he the reason why we all laced on boots aged seven years er and that will always remain consistent. “There is a spe- know that we are not yet where we want to be, added that the sport must preserve its identity. old.” But Hassanein believes the character of those playing cial bond and attitude. Our sport is always first and in all of because we want to be fastest.” —AFP Former Waratahs flanker Omar Hassanein, now the chief the game has not changed, nor have the principles under- our players I believe there is a common understanding you executive of the International Rugby Players’ Association, pinning the sport. “The fabric remains the same, we are all represent the sport and not just yourself.” — AFP