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Bill Wall's Wonderful World of Chess by Bill Wall Chess Around the World - and Beyond
Ahmerst, Massachusetts - Home of the college chess team that was the winner of the first intercollegiate chess match, in 1859. The event was actually an intercollegiate baseball and chess match simultaneously as part of a single event. Amherst College played Williams College as the “trial of the mind as well as the muscle.” Amherst won both events and was heralded as “Athletic and Academic Champions.” We now have chess boxing. Antarctica - In the 1950s, a scientist at a Soviet research station (Vostok) lost a chess game with a fellow scientist, then got so mad he killed his opponent with an axe. After the incident, the Soviets banned chess at their Antarctic stations. Atlantic Ocean - In 1902, the first chess match between players on different ships at see occurred in the Atlantic Ocean. Passengers on the American liner Philadelphia played passengers from the Cunard liner Campania, 70 miles away. The moves were broadcast by wireless operators aboard the ships. The match was not concluded since the radio was required for navigational uses. Baden-Baden, Germany - In 1870, Germany held its first international tournament in Baden-Baden. The event was also the first tournament interrupted by war (Franco-Prussian war). First place was 3,000 francs. The tournament was the first to introduce chess clocks (20 moves an hour), but the players had the option of using hour glasses. Adolf Anderssen won the event with 11 points. In 1925, Baden-Baden was the site of the first international tournament in Germany after World War II. Alexander Alekhine won that event with 16 points. Berlin, Germany - Site of the 2008 world chess boxing championship, won by mathematics student Nikolai Sazhin over 37-year-old German policeman, Frank Stoldt. Berlin is home to the world’s biggest chess boxing club, with over 40 members. Bonn, Germany - Site of the Chess World Championship 2008 between Viswanathan Anand and Vladimir Kramnik. The match will begin on October 14, 2008. Bosnia - Site of the first person killed from sniper fire while playing chess. In 1993, a person was shot and killed while playing chess with a friend outdoors. In 1996, a chess match was held to raise funds to assist in clearing Bosnia of leftover mines. China - Chess was not listed as a competitive sport in China until 1956. The Chess Association of China was first formed in 1966. The first chess championship tournament was played in 1974. The first Chinese international tournament was held in 1980. Now they are one of the dominating countries of chess. Columbia, South America - Hostages that were rescued from Columbia, South America in July, 2008, played chess during their captivity and was able to bring back their chess board made of cardboard. The hostages said they played chess to survive and keep their minds sharp. The chess pieces were carved from wood with a broken machete. Cuba - Chess is mentioned as being played in Cuba in 16th century books. In 1952, an international tournament was held in Havana. During the event, there was a revolution on Cuba, but the tournament continued on. The Cuban President who sponsored the tournament was deposed. The Mexican entrants were recalled by their government in protest. Finally, the Cuban champion who was playing in the event, Juan Quesada, died of a heart attack during the event. Dresden, Germany - Site of the 38th Chess Olympiad. It will be held from November 12 through November 25, 2008. It will be the fifth time that a chess Olympiad will be taking place in Germany. Edmonton, Alberta - Site of the 2008 Canadian Chess Championship, which was won by 11-year-old Tanraj Singh. France - In 1836, the first chess magazine, Le Palamede, was published in France. Greenland - The world’s largest island. The first chess tournament in Greenland occurred in 1965 at Thule Air Force Base (won by Tim Moore). The first international chess tournament in Greenland was held in 2003. Guatemala - In the 1986 Chess Olympiad held in Dubai, Guatemala was represented by four brothers named Juarez. Their women’s team had a 10-year-old, Heidi Cueller. She was the youngest person to play in a chess Olympiad. Hastings, England - Home of the oldest and longest running chess tournament in the world. The first tournament in Hastings was held in June, 1882. The most famous was held in 1895 and won by Harry Pillsbury. That event had the top 12 players in the world participating. The current series started in 1920. During the 1945/46 tournament, a land mine washed up on shore near the playing site. Heidelberg, Germany - Site of the first known chess tournament, held in 1467. The 9th-11th match games of the 1929 World Chess Championship between Alekhine and Bogoljubow was held in Heidelberg. Iceland - Country with the highest per capita population in the world. A government-run lottery helps finance chess. It is the only country with more grandmasters (9) than International Masters (7). In 1997, Iceland staged the first national Internet chess championship in the world. It is the burial place of Bobby Fischer. Lebanon - The first unofficial Lebanese Chess Championship occurred in 1943. The first official Lebanese Championship took place in 1953, and won by Charles Salameh. Lebanon joined FIDE in 1957 and was the first Arab country to join FIDE. Lebanon was a founding member of the Arab Chess Federation in 1975. Lima, Peru - In 1997, the Japanese ambassador’s mansion in Lima was taken over by a terrorist group. A chess set was delivered during the hostage crises. Embedded in the chess pieces were tiny microphones. This helped the Peruvian Commandos to free 71 of the 72 hostages (one died of a heart attack). All 14 terrorists were killed. Lindsborg, Kansas - Site of the Karpov International School of Chess. In 2005, Anatoly Karpov played Susan Polgar here in a match called the “Class of the Titans.” Former president of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev visited Lindsborg and watch the match. Gorbachev was there to help Karpov promote his Chess for Peace Program. Liverpool, England - City with the first English chess column. From July 9, 1813 to August 20, 1914, the Liverpool Mercury ran a chess column. London - Site of the first international chess tournament, which started on May 26, 1851. The tournament was held in conjunction with the Great Exhibition of Art and Industry of 1851. Adolf Anderssen won the event and 183 British pounds. He gave 1/3 of his winnings to Szen after a private agreement on sharing the winnings with his friend. In 1862, London was the site of the first major tournament where every competitor plays against every other one (the first round robin). Adolf Anderssen won this event with a 12 out of 13 score. Manchester, England - Site of the oldest club in England, which opened on September 3, 1817 in the Albion Hotel in Manchester. Henry Blackburne was a member and the club champion in the 1860s. Milwaukee, Wisconsin - The Milwaukee Chess Club was organized in 1857. The first city championship was held in 1922, won by Arpad Elo. In 1938, Milwaukee was the first U.S. city to conduct chess classes on its playgrounds, with instructors moving from playground to playground, teaching chess. Nalchik, Russia - Site of the 2008 World Women’s Chess Championship. The event will be held from August 28, 2008 to September 18, 2008. 64 players are participating in this knockout tournament. New York - The New York State Chess Championship is America’s longest running state championships, which began in 1878 (won by James Cox). In 1944, the New York State Championship was called off because IBM, who was to host the event, was requested by the U.S. government to cancel all conventions to reduce the burden of manning facilities for the war. Oxford, England - Site of the first university to have a chess club, which started in 1845. The Oxford University Chess Club was formally founded in 1869. In 1873, the Oxford University Chess Club challenged the Cambridge University Chess Club. Each year, they play a chess match, which is the longest running annual match in chess. Cambridge is in the lead for total number of match wins. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Site of the 35th World Open, held on Jul1 1-6, 2008. The winner was Russian Grandmaster Evgeny Najer, who defeated 15-year-old Parimarjan Negi in a final Armageddon game. Singapore - Site of the 2008 World Schools Chess Championships, starting on July 21-31. Space - On July 11, 2008, the crew from the International Space Station started a chess match with specialists in five Mission Control Centers around the globe. In 1970, crew members of Soyuz 9 played their ground control using a magnetic chess board and pieces. In 1999, the chess program Fritz became the first chess software ever played in space. It was aboard the Mir space station. Tehran, Iran - Site of the 2008 Asian youth chess championship, to be held from July 15-22. Uruguay - First South American country to have a chess magazine. In 1881, the Revista de ajedrez was published in Uruguay. Uruguay became a member of FIDE in 1937. Villa Carlos Paz, Argentina - Site of the 2008 Pan-American Youth Chess Championship. Yerevan, Armenia - Top Armenian Grandmaster Karen Asrian died of a heart attack while driving in Yerevan. He was on 28.
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