Woody Harrelson talks about chess

Getting irrelevant with Woody Harrelson
By Alan Abrahamson
NBCSports.com
Posted: Jun.8, 2007, 9:46 am EDT

Q: Last time you and I talked, you had just made it to the Maui airport after being engrossed in a chess match. Remember? Do you think life is one big chess match?

A: As a chess player, I do kind of see it that way. Chess is a very warring kind of mentality, I guess, so I don’t necessarily see it that way always. But I do see how it relates to everything in life. You can always relate anything to chess. But that may be true of any game. You may be able to relate any game if you’re into analogies.

Q: Here’s an interesting question for you — well, I think it’s interesting. How came there aren’t any great female chess masters?

A: Like the champs? I don’t know about that. That’s a good question. Maybe the mentality in most women is not quite as warring as the male mentality. We have that truculent approach. I think it was [Garry] Kasparov who said, “Chess is the most violent sport.” I don’t know. That’s a good question. I have run into some really good chess players who are female, though.

Q: I’ve told you I spend a lot of time covering the Olympics. Do you think chess players ought to be drug tested?

A: I don’t think anyone ought to be drug tested. If you’re going to do tests, test for all the pharmaceuticals and everything else.

Here is the full interview.