The Taliban suspended chess — during its first iteration of rule, and now, because it's "a means of gambling," the sports minister Atal Mashwani told the French news service, AFP.

The Taliban suspended chess — during its first iteration of rule, and now, because it's "a means of gambling," the sports minister Atal Mashwani told the French news service, AFP.

He's talking about the first time the Taliban banned chess when they came to power in the mid-'90s. The ban only ended after U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban following 9/11.

Chess in Afghanistan isn’t madly followed like cricket or the national game — buzkashi — a polo-like sport, except the jockeys have whips and they have to dash across a field holding the carcass of a ...

Chess in Afghanistan isn't madly followed like cricket or the national game — buzkashi — a polo-like sport, except the jockeys have whips and they have to dash across a field holding the carcass of a ...

The Taliban suspended chess — during its first iteration of rule, and now, because it's "a means of gambling," the sports minister Atal Mashwani told the French news service, AFP.