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In San Diego, the phrase “a king in his castle” takes on a whole new meaning. Samy Shoker, an International Grand Chess Master, has taken his strategic prowess to an entirely different arena, merging the worlds of chess and boxing into a unique sport.
“Three minutes of chess followed by three minutes of boxing,” Shoker explains, detailing the fascinating blend of intellectual and physical challenge that is chess boxing. “You start with chess, and after three minutes, you stop the game, put your hands up, and switch gears.”
Shoker has achieved impressive feats in this hybrid discipline, becoming the European Middleweight Chess Boxing Champion. His ability to seamlessly transition between two vastly different mindsets is what sets him apart. “When the bell rings,” Shoker shares with a laugh, “you need to forget about boxing and snap back into your chess mindset, recalling your calculations. It’s truly captivating.”
Originally from Egypt, where he is ranked 4th overall, Shoker began his journey in the world of chess at just six years old. His early passion for chess laid the foundation for his later success, long before he entertained thoughts of stepping into the boxing ring. Now residing in California, Shoker continues to dazzle audiences with his unique blend of skills, embodying the true spirit of a champion in both the mind and the ring.
Ranked 4th overall in Egypt, the California resident started playing chess when he was just 6 years old, rising in the ranks long before considering the ring.
“There are a lot of similarities between chess and boxing,” continued Shoker, “in chess, you try to attack on both wings. King side, Queen side. This is the same in boxing. You try to juggle the left and right. It’s the same strategy. You have to defend, attack, so I think it’s the same kind of process of analyzing your opponents.”
Inspired by a European graphic novel published in 1992, Chess Boxing held its first match in 2003.
“At the beginning, it was not so popular,” continued the middle school teacher, “it was just fun. At some point, people got really interested, involved.”
“Now there’s a federation, a more organized structure, world championships, and I discovered the sports because my coach was a world chess boxing champion.”
As far as what’s more satisfying between a checkmate or a knockout?
“I prefer checkmate,” laughed Shoker, “It’s less violent. It depends, maybe some people can be shocked by a checkmate, but I would prefer to give a checkmate than a KO.”
Prize-fighting again in October of 2026, the 37-year-old remains undisputed on the board.
“I can be very quick,” continued Shoker, “the fastest checkmate is in only two moves, so that it can happen quickly.”