Why chess players don't hug

So Andy Murray beats Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and they both have a nice, public cuddle afterwards in the middle of Wimbledon Centre Court. It's a common sight at tennis matches. Also, surprisingly, at boxing matches. Which, you have to admit, is a bit odd. After trying to inflict serious physical injury on your opponent for in some cases up to 12 rounds of boxing, the last thing you might expect is to get a big, often bloody hug.

Then you have to consider the aesthetics of it. I wouldn't mind giving Andy or Jo-Wilfried a nice hug in the normal course of events, although I might have pause for thought about hugging Mike Tyson or Dereck Chisora. But I'm not sure I would be keen on the idea when any of them have just finished doing what they do for a living. Not entirely a savoury idea.

Anyway, and this may be news for non-chess-players, chess players don't hug. I think we can reasonably sure that Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky never enjoyed a mutual cuddle. There is no record of physical contact between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov. At the most recent world championship match, I don't believe that, in the course of the entire match, Boris Gelfand and Vishy Anand gave the watching public the treat of a man-hug.

Now, a chess game between world class players typically takes roughly the same length of time as an elite tennis match, and the tension level, however one measures that, is also roughly the same. At the end of a crucial game it is not unknown for a chess player to raise both arms in triumph, or maybe even do a little arm-pump. But, as far as the opponent is concerned, the only permissible contact seems to be a polite handshake. And make no mistake about it, contrary to appearances, the adrenaline is flowing in those guys and their pulse rates are raised way above normal.

I guess we have to turn to Fischer for the answer. That is the Robert J Fischer who is quoted as saying "I like to make them squirm" and "I like the moment when I break a man's ego". Maybe there was a wider truth to this. He who loses an elite tennis match has still only lost a tennis match, but he who loses an elite chess match feels that his sense of identity has been damaged, his ego has been diminished. Or maybe it just doesn't occur to them to hug.

Anyway, note to chess players, particularly of the elite variety: hugging is good, learn to hug!