Thursday, April 24, 2014

Pestaño: The world chess Hall of Fame

Chessmoso
Thursday, April 24 2014
ALMOST all sports have a hall of fame. It is believed that top athletes should be recognized long after their careers have ended. Originally known as the US Chess Hall of Fame, the World Chess Hall of Fame was created in 1986 by the United States Chess Federation and its president at the time, E. Stephen Doyle.
It was originally located in New Windsor, New York but moved to Miami, Florida. On Sept. 9, 2010, it was transferred to St. Louis, Missouri through funds provided by Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield, who also sponsor big tournaments in the USA. US Chess Trust President Jim Eade and other staff and board members from both the Trust and the USCF approved the move in August 2010.
The World Chess Hall of Fame is housed in a historic 15,900 square-foot facility and features artifacts from permanent and temporary exhibitions highlighting the great players, historic games, and the rich cultural history of chess.
The collection—which includes the Paul Morphy silver set, an early prototype of the Chess Challenger, and Bobby Fischer’s memorabilia (purchased by Sinquefield in an auction on eBay)—is dedicated to the history of the game and the accomplishments of the Hall of Fame inductees.
As of May 2013, there are 19 members to the World Hall of Fame.
Here is a short description of the honorees and the year they were nominated.
2001. All world champions. Jose Capablanca (1921-27) is from Cuba; controversial American Robert Fischer (1972-75) is considered the best player of all time though a big number favor Kasparov. The favorite now is Magnus Emmanuel Lasker (Germany), who was champion for 27 years from 1894-1921. He had two doctorate degrees in mathematics and philosophy. He was also the best friend of Albert Einstein, who considered him an equal intellectually.
Paul Morphy (USA) was considered the unofficial world champion during his time and had mental problems like another awardee, Austrian Wilhelm Steinitz modern champion (1886-94).
2003. Mikhail Botvinnik was a three-time world champion (1948-57, 1959-60 and 1961-63) and was also a top notch electrical engineer and computer scientist. Tigran Petrosian (1963-69),Vasily Smyslov (1957-58). Boris Spassky (1969-72) and Mikhail Tal (1960-61) were all champions and Russians.
2004. Russian Alexander Alekhine ( 1927-34) , Dutch Machgielis Euwe (1935-37) and Russian Anatoly Karpov ( 1975-85) were past champions.
2005. Garry Kasparov (1986-2005) is running for Fide president this year against incumbent Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.
2008. Siegbert Tarrasch was one of the strongest chess players and most influential chess teachers of the late 19th century and early 20th century.
2011. Vera Menchik was a British-player who gained renown as the world’s first women champion. She also competed in tournaments with some of the world’s leading male chess masters, defeating many of them, including future world champion Max Euwe.
2013. Elizaveta Bykova was a Soviet chess player and the third and fifth Women’s World Champion from 1953 until 1956 and from 1958 to 1962.
Mikhail Chigorin served as a major source of inspiration for the “Soviet Chess School,” which dominated the chess world in the middle and latter parts of the 20th century.
Nona Gaprindashvili is a Georgian chess player, the sixth women’s world chess champion, and first female Grandmaster. She was the strongest female player of her generation.
Cepca. Our April tournament is this Sunday at Handuraw Gorordo starting at 2 pm.
(boypestano@gmail.com,www.chessmoso.blogspot.com)

No comments: