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“Not From This Planet!”: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Star Blown Away by Playing Chess

Published 01/07/2022, 8:30 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

The game of chess is gaining rapid attention because of the popularity of the show ‘Queen’s Gambit’. The Netflix release brought unprecedented attention to the sophisticated game. Notably, Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Le’Veon Bell is amongst those entities with an undying love for chess. He recently opened up on his experience with the game.

Le’Veon applauded the level of intelligence that was required to build the game from scratch and lauded the creators of the game in a Twitter post. Notably, Bell’s influence in chess helped him to become a better football player.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers star loves Chess

Back when he was in third grade, Bell took up the sport on a rainy day and has never looked back since. Playing chess does not need any physical exertion. Outsmarting opponents is the key takeaway from the game. In fact, professional players can visualize the moves in their heads and act accordingly. The skill level and focus it takes are extraordinary. Thus, Bell is impressed with the sport as he talked about the game on Twitter.

“Whoever came up with the game is chess is LITERALLY not from this planet yo! like how you design a game so perfectly? Lol, the fact that pawns can ONLY take moving diagonal might be the greatest rule of a game ever! Lol and I am NOT playing,” said Bell.

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The Tampa Bay star gave his tribute to the game as he thinks it helps him on the field.

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How does chess help him in football?

Playing chess requires a certain level of focus and a steady mind that does not waver around. Hence, Bell talked about taking his learnings to the football field. This helped him to perform better moves. Tactically solid for the team, Bell is a vital player for the Buccaneers.

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“It translates to football in a lot of ways. That’s why I kind of run the way I run. I know what hole I want to get to, so I’m kind of setting up guys and putting pieces in different spots to get to the hole I want to get to. That’s why chess helps me out in football,” said Bell.

USA Today via Reuters

No doubt, playing chess helps one to plan ahead and improve their concentration levels. With the popularity of the sport going through the roof, online chess streaming services are booming as the interest in the sport is at an all-time high!

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Have you tried your hands on chess yet?

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Written by:

Jacob Gijy

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Jacob Gijy is a US Sports and NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Gijy finished his Masters in Counselling Psychology and worked in a hospital for 2 years before his passion for sports compelled him to find his way to sports journalism. A fan of the great Tim Duncan, he is always ready to pick up a debate with anyone who does not offer the center the respect he deserves.
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