When we talk about sports, games that come to our mind are football, hockey, cricket, tennis, and other serious games. Today there are many competitive online games to have fun. People love to play pokies online real money Australia, allowing them to get rewards while sitting at their home.

All these games have a certain seriousness associated with them and make the fans uneasy when their preferred team is playing. But not every sport in the world is about competition and seriousness. There are so many sports in the world that are rather unusual and not much heard of. And in this article, we are exploring some of these weird sports that you should know about.

1. Underwater Hockey

Underwater Hockey is not a new game. It was discovered back in the 1950s by the British Navy. The sport is also known as Octopush and was invented as a way to improve the efficiency of divers underwater. Later it became popular in Australia, and today it is played in many parts of the world. Additionally, the sports combine swimming and ice hockey to create a rather physical battle. The main objective of the sport is to hit the puck successfully into the opponent’s goal.

Key Features of the Game:

  • There are ten players in the team, wherein six players go into the pool. The rest of them act as substitutes.
  • Players typically cover zones instead of positions; however, there are formations in the game.
  • Games occur for two halves of 15 minutes each with a five minute break period between each half.
  • Teams can be divided into defence and attack. Additionally, variations of midfield players should be noted beforehand.
  • Players are only allowed to score with the stick in their hands and cannot use body parts to assist the puck forward.
  • Players are also not allowed to make contact with other players unless they have the puck in their possession.

2. Oil Wrestling

Oil wrestling is a tradition in Turkey that has a history of hundreds of years. In fact, it is considered the national sport of Turkey, and there is an annual festival dedicated to oil wrestling. Attending this annual festival will give you a never-seen-before insight into Turkish culture. And not to forget, the sport is really fun to watch.

Oil wrestling was popularised by the Ottomans as a sport, especially during Sultan Orhan Gazi reign in the 14th century. It is considered that two soldiers fought to their death in a wrestling match hosted in Edirne. And since then, it has been the location of the annual oil wrestling tournament. Ever since its discovery, the sport has remained mostly the same with some simple rules and techniques.

Key Features of Oil Wrestling:

  • The wrestlers have to wear special clothing, which is heavy leather pants.
  • The wrestlers are covered in olive oil.
  • The objective of the wrestler should be to get the opponent in a position so that their belly button is facing the sky.
  • Although previously the fights used to go on for days, presently the match limit has been set to 45 minutes, making it possible to win on points.

3. Extreme Ironing

Some people prefer playing casino online real money games; others are looking to go out and do something extreme. And, extreme ironing might be something that they can look into, especially if they like doing the chore. This is a sport, which people go to unconventional locations to iron their clothes. From the forest, underwater to highways, cliffs, and mountain tops, the sport is driven by the extremity of the playing field.

The game was discovered in 1980 by Tony Hiam, who was inspired by his brother-in-law, who ironed garments even on a camping trip. People can take part in the game solo or as groups. Winners of this competition are judged based on how good their ironing was on a particular garment, the extremity of the location, and the swiftness of completion.

Rules of Extreme Ironing:

  • The participant must have an ironing board that is 1 meter in length and 10 centimetres in width.
  • The participants must use an iron that is made from iron instead of plastic.
  • Participants can use any size of clothing, but it should not be less than a tea towel.

4. Cheese Rolling

Every year, the Gloucester region in South West England hosts a cheese-rolling event where people from afar come to participate and watch. A nine-pound bowl of Double Gloucester cheese is rolled from the hilltop, and competitors have to run after it to the bottom. And the first person who crosses the finish line is crowned as the winner and gets the cheese as a prize.

Earlier, the aim of the game was to catch the cheese, but with its head start and how quickly it speeded up, this became challenging as well as dangerous. The spectators have been seriously injured by the rolling cheese in the past. This is why the actual cheese has been replaced by a foam replica of the same with 2013.

Key Features of Cheese Rolling:

  • In this sport, there are four downhill races, which include three for men and one for women.
  • The maximum number of racers in this sport is set at 14.
  • The competition starts by shouting ‘One to be ready, two to be steady, three to prepare, and four to be off.’ After this, the cheese is rolled down, and competitors run behind it.

5. Chess Boxing

Imagine a sport that tests your physical as well as intellectual limits. Chess boxing is a sport that needs an extreme level of focus, raw power, and restraints. This extreme sport was invented by Iepe Rubingh, a Dutch performance artist, in the 2000s. The idea of Rubingh was to develop performance art to make the audience try out a new sport.

It was inspired by the Froid Equateur, a comic in which there is a chess boxing championship. The two competitors spend a day in a boxing match that is painted like a massive chessboard in the game. Moreover, they spend the next day in the ring for a round of chess. The game’s unique concept inspired Rubingh, so he modified the rules of the game a bit to make chess boxing more manageable.

Rules Of Chess Boxing:

  • Players must have an understanding of both chess and boxing disciplines.
  • Players can win either from chess or boxing sessions.
  • Players need to have a chess rating of a minimum of 1800 to compete in the sport.
  • There are five rounds of boxing and six rounds of chess that players must complete unless there is a winner before that.

6. Bed Racing

Everything is a competition, including laziness. Bed racing is a sport popular in the North Yorkshire town of Knaresborough. The region even has an annual Knaresborough Bed Race. In 1965, the first bed racing was open to navy, army, and American marines. However, today the competition is open for all.

Rules Of Bed Racing:

  • The bed and runner must be decorated in a particular theme.
  • There should be a team of six competing in the competition.
  • The team needs to complete the course in a matter of 30 minutes.
  • The bed must have four wheels of a maximum 260 mm diameter and a width of 55mm.

These are just a handful of games that are way more unusual than what we generally witness or play. But all of them certainly seem fun and exciting to be a part of.

About the Author

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Mirko Humbert

Mirko Humbert is the editor-in-chief and main author of Designer Daily and Typography Daily. He is also a graphic designer and the founder of WP Expert.