Chess and the Talibans

Have you ever imagined chess being banned in the Philippines?

Life without chess?

No, no.

Well, I just found out that chess was banned by Taliban's leader Mullah Muhammad Omar years ago in Afghanistan.

The Taliban is a Sunni Islamist predominately Pashtun Islamic "terrorist" movement that governed Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001, when its leaders were removed from power by Northern Alliance and NATO forces. It has regrouped and since 2004 revived as a strong insurgency movement fighting a guerilla war against the current government of of Afghanistan (Wikipedia).

For the Talibans, chess was viewed as vice, or something that doesn't please God. In short, for the Talibans, it's a sin to play chess.

Based on the recent country rankings by FIDE, Afghanistan ranks 136th out of 149 ranked countries.

To date, Afghanistan has no GM, no, IM, no WIM, but only two FMs.

Afghanistan's highest rated player is Aziz Sharify (2173). Its top 10 strongest player is Nader Mohammad who is rated 1778.

That country's average rating of Top 10 players? Two points shy off 2000.

So what's the point?

Social environment plays a critical role in creating a culture of chess excellence.

Perhaps, that culture of chess excellence can be best started in our own homes, then spread it out to our local communities, then to a much bigger arena and so on.