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A girl takes part in a chess competition organized by Zahra Ebrahimi in Mazar-e-Sharif, capital of northern Balkh province, Afghanistan, Jan. 20, 2021. The COVID-19 related quarantines have not restricted the life of Zahra Ebrahimi in Afghanistan's northern Mazar-e-Sharif city, as she beat her isolated quarantine life and encouraged girls to learn chess in the relatively peaceful city in Afghanistan. (Photo by Kawa Basharat/Xinhua)

by Abdul Haleem

MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 related quarantines have not restricted the life of Zahra Ebrahimi in Afghanistan's northern Mazar-e-Sharif city, as she beat her isolated quarantine life and encouraged girls to learn chess in the relatively peaceful city in Afghanistan.

"Living in isolation during quarantine to protect myself from COVID-19 virtually was boring and even caused psychological problems for me and others," 24-year-old Ebrahimi said.

"To get rid of isolation and to overcome the challenge, I have decided to practice chess playing and also encourage the women and girls to learn on how to play the game," she said.

The Chess Federation in Mazar-e-Sharif city, capital of the northern Balkh province, has welcomed Ebrahimi's initiative and supported anyone who is interested to learn the game.

Describing chess games as a "mental exercise" that strengthens one's intellectual ability, the chess coach Ebrahimi maintained that she wanted to train more and more female chess players.

"Learning chess and playing the game from one hand strengthens your mental ability and from the other, excites your feeling," said a girl named Arzo Amin.

Ebrahimi, engaging in cultural activities after graduating from college, said Afghan women are more talented than they appear and if provided the chance they could earn honor for their country.

"In the beginning, few girls dared to attend the chess class because of cultural barriers but the number of trainees has gradually increased and currently scores of girls attended the class to learn and even some attended the local tournament to display their abilities," said the lady with pride.

Playing chess in Afghanistan has been regarded as a mental sport for men. "I am determined to promote the culture of chess playing among women and encourage them to attend the local tournaments," Ebrahimi said.

To protect its citizens from the coronavirus, the government of Afghanistan imposed restrictions in March last year and also shut down the door of schools for months to help the citizens stay safe and the measures are still partially intact.

Staying at home for months to escape COVID-19, according to Ebrahimi, has proved boring for many women as some have faced domestic violence and psychological problems. She opened the door for women and girls to attend the training class and kill time amid the pandemic.

"To beat the isolation and to pass time during COVID-19 quarantine, in my opinion, playing chess could help you forget all the mental pains," said Ebrahim.

Ebrahim told Xinhua that she had organized a two-day chess tournament with the participation of 24 girls and women from Balkh and the neighboring Jawzan provinces. Enditem

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Girls take part in a chess competition organized by Zahra Ebrahimi in Mazar-e-Sharif, capital of northern Balkh province, Afghanistan, Jan. 20, 2021. The COVID-19 related quarantines have not restricted the life of Zahra Ebrahimi in Afghanistan's northern Mazar-e-Sharif city, as she beat her isolated quarantine life and encouraged girls to learn chess in the relatively peaceful city in Afghanistan. (Photo by Kawa Basharat/Xinhua)

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A girl takes part in a chess competition organized by Zahra Ebrahimi in Mazar-e-Sharif, capital of northern Balkh province, Afghanistan, Jan. 20, 2021. The COVID-19 related quarantines have not restricted the life of Zahra Ebrahimi in Afghanistan's northern Mazar-e-Sharif city, as she beat her isolated quarantine life and encouraged girls to learn chess in the relatively peaceful city in Afghanistan. (Photo by Kawa Basharat/Xinhua)

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