Silence in the ring: Chessboxers are given earpieces to keep out the noise for their two rounds of chess. (0674991)

THE bizarre new sport of chessboxing does not look set to grip Guernsey.

It combines the two polar opposites of chess and boxing and, not surprisingly, the head coach of the Amalgamated Boys’ Club, Graham Guilbert, does not think the Guernsey Open Shows, which regularly sell out within hours of the tickets going on sale, will be featuring chessboxing any time soon.

‘I can’t see the Guernsey punters having it to be honest,’ he said.  ‘They all like a rock and rumble. I don’t think they would be up for it.’

Chessboxing came to the UK in April and a club has been formed in North London with regular chessboxing shows taking place.  It is becoming big business in the Netherlands and Germany where the World Chess Boxing Organisation is based.

Chessboxing has the bizarre sight of two burly fighters face each other over a chess board in the middle of a ring.

They play a four-minute round of chess then, when the bell is rung, the chess board is moved away and the pair get down to pounding each other with their fists for a three-minute round of boxing.

A round of speed chess is next, followed by a round of boxing, until one of them is knocked out or loses their king.