In the realm of being boring, nothing is more thrilling than top-tier chess | James Colley

There is something even more wonderfully ponderous than Test cricket – the world chess championship – and this year’s showdown is exceptional

Like many Australians, when a Test match finishes early, I spend the next day pottering around the house completely devoid of purpose. My soul understands that I should be spending this time watching cricket. That there is no cricket to watch opens a void in my life. What am I to fill it with? Chores, charity or family? No, that is not acceptable. I need another way to waste my time.

Fortunately for me, there is an even more wonderfully ponderous and very occasionally thrilling event going on at this very moment, and it’s the perfect antidote for anyone who finds Test cricket to be a little too high octane. I’m speaking of the world chess championship, which is currently being held in Singapore.

James Colley is a comedy writer from Sydney. His debut novel The Next Big Thing is out now

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