[MoochPooch]

What about backgammon? Why would that be different? (Unless that is also banned.)

[fhayek]

Arabs were once the leading players of chess (at least the version of chess before the it was Europeanized with a stronger queen). They were instrumental in transmitting the game from the Middle East to Europe. Chess is said to have started in India, but I believe its roots extend farther to the east in China.

Anyway chess has intrinsic intellectual satisfaction to the players that gambling is not needed to 'juice it up'. What is it about Muslims that seek to squeeze all of the joy out of life and replace it with misery?