Chessboxing Federation Cup – 2024

The Bhawanipur Education Society College played host to one of the most mentally and physically demanding events on the collegiate circuit- The Chessboxing Federation Cup 2024 which was held from 16th to 19th February 2024 at the College Turf. Combining the strategic finesse of chess with the raw intensity of boxing, this three-day spectacle brought together some of the brightest minds and fiercest fighters from across the country.

The hybrid sport was envisioned in 1992 by cartoonist Enki Bilal, and chess boxing was featured in his graphic novel Froid Équateur. Iepe Rubingh brought the concept to life, fighting under the name Iepe, the Joker. Rubingh felt the method described in the book, a boxing match followed by a chess match, was impractical. He instead decided on alternating rounds of chess and boxing. The earliest chessboxing reference occurred in London in 1978 when two brothers Stewart and James Robinson began chessboxing at the Samuel Montagu Boys Club.

The sport today is governed by the World Chess Boxing Organisation (WCBO), whose strapline is “The smartest toughest (wo)man on the planet.” This fantastic sport of mind & physique, “Chessboxing” was introduced in India by renewed martial artist, Mr. Montu Das as its Founder President, CBOI in the year 2011. The first day of the championship began with the opening ceremony which was inaugurated by Mr. Miraj D Shah, Vice Chairman of The Bhawanipur Education Society College, and Mr. Jitendra Shah, one of the trustees of the BESC College. The ceremony began with a welcome felicitation of Mr. Miraj D Shah by Asutosh Kumar Jha, later Mr. Jitendra Shah was called upon the stage to felicitate the Honorary President of WCBO (World Chess Boxing Organisation) and President of CBOI (Chessboxing Organisation of India) – Mr. Montu Das and General Secretary of CBOI- Mr. Pradip Marik, respectively. After the guests were seated Flames collective of the college presented a power-packed dance performance to pump up the enthusiasm of the crowd.

The tournament kicked off on a high note as participants from various colleges showcased their skills in both chess and boxing. The first day primarily featured preliminary rounds, with competitors vying for early victories to secure a spot in the later stages of the tournament. The fixtures for the matches were based on different weight categories for boys and girls respectively.

Further into the championship the Chief Guest for the day- Mr. Keshav Bhajanka, Executive Director of Century Plyboards India Ltd accompanied by Mr. Tushar Bhajanka, owner of Star Cement was welcomed to the ring. The Chief Guests witnessed the match for the title of “QUEEN of the RING” played by Arundhati Nair and Mahamaya Kanti under the weight category (-55 kg). Before the match began the title belt was shown around to the crowd by the referee in the ring. Towards the end, the title was won by Arundhati Nair who was later handed over the belt by Mr. Jitendra Shah.

As the competition entered its second day, the stakes grew higher, and the thrill of the game reached new heights. With the field narrowing down, every match became a battleground where participants left nothing to chance. Each match was a testament to the unique blend of mental acuity and physical prowess demanded by Chessboxing. Participants also competed in a similar competition known as Chessboxing Fit which encourages punching on the punching bag for a minute and then playing chess for the next 5 minutes. The day ended with matches continuing to the next day.

The final day of the tournament dawned with a sense of anticipation as the remaining contenders prepared to face off in the ultimate test of skill and endurance. The stage was set for the crowning of the “KING of the RING” titles. The first “KING of the RING” match was played between Kingshuk and Md Hamza under the weight category of (- 60 kg). The players entered the stage fiercely in their gowns and started off the battle with a round of chess followed by boxing. After an intense fight, the title was grabbed successfully by Kingshuk. The second “KING of the RING” match was played between Asutosh Kumar Jha and Rohit Chowdhury under the weight category of (-90 kg). This nail-biting match captured the crowd’s attention, the campus was filled with their roars while listening to the excellent commentary by the commentators. The winner of the second title was Asutosh Kumar Jha.

At the end of the matches the Rector and Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Dilip Shah was called upon the stage to hand over the title belts to the respective winners Kingshuk and Asutosh. Prof. Shah was then asked to felicitate the referees and officials of the championship by handing over mementos to them. Further, a special thanks was extended to AMRI Hospitals for providing constant medical support for 3 days and to Black Tiger Events for sponsoring LED. The day ended successfully with the prize ceremony where winners of various weight categories were called upon the podium and handed over the medals. The winners were as follows.

CHESSBOXING MAIN RESULT

1. CADET BOYS (10-12 years, -35kg)
   – Gold- ARPON ROY
2. CADET BOYS (10-12 years, -45kg)
   – Gold- NIRANJAN DAS
   – Silver- DEBABRATA PAKRE

1. CADET GIRLS (10-12 years, -35kg)
   – Gold- SANGHAMITRA NASKAR
   – Silver- SHREASTHA HALDER

1. SUB-JUNIOR BOYS (12-15 years, -58kg)
   – Gold- SOUMAVA GARAIN
2. SUB-JUNIOR GIRLS (12-15 years, -48kg)
   – Gold- AGNIMITRA PURAKAYASTHA
3. SENIOR MEN (18-40 years, -54kg)
   – Gold- MD. FARHAN AHMAD
   – Silver- NIKHIL KR. DUVEDEE

1. SENIOR MEN (18-40 years, -62kg)
   – Gold- KINGSHUK SAHA
   – Silver- MD. SHAAD
   – Bronze- SHAHAB SHAHID
   – Bronze- MD. HAMZA KHAN

1. SENIOR MEN (18-40 years, -66kg)
   – Gold- ADITYA KR. THAKUR
   – Silver- KRISHNA GUPTA
   – Bronze- ANUBHAV JAIN

1. SENIOR MEN (18-40 years, -75kg)
   Gold- SIDDHARTH TOSHNIWAL
   Silver- ADITYA PRATAP SINGH

1.  SENIOR MEN (18-40 years, -85kg)
   – Gold- ROHIT CHAWDHURY
   – Silver- VIKRAMADITYA SHAH

1.  SENIOR MEN ( 18-40 years, +95kg)
   – Gold- ARYAN KR. THAPA
   – Silver- YOHAAN FRANKLIN

1.  SENIOR WOMEN (18-35 years, -44kg)
   – Gold- AAYET BANO
2.  SENIOR WOMEN (18-35 years, -54kg)
   – Gold- ARUNDHATHY R. NAIR
   – Silver- SANIYA OJHA

1. SENIOR WOMEN (18-35 years, -58kg)
   – Gold- MAHAMAYA KANTI
2. SENIOR WOMEN (18-35 years, -66kg)
   – Gold- SAI DURGA NANDINI N.S.
   – Silver- KHUSHI LAKRA

CHESSBOXING FIT RESULT

1. CADET BOYS (10-12 years)
   – Gold- ARPON ROY
   – Silver- V. BOOPATHI

1. CADET GIRLS (10-12 years)
   – Gold- SHREASTHA HALDER
   – Silver- SANGHAMITRA NASKAR
2. SENIOR MEN (18-40 years)
   – Gold- NIRANJAN DAS
   – Silver- S.M. PUGALARASHAN

Reporter – Mahi Bosmia
Photographer – Priyanshu Chatterjee, Agrag Ghosh, Nischay Alokit Lakra