Chess information A to Z
Part -A
Aaron, Manual (1935- )
First
International Master (1961) from India. He was
born
in Toungoo, Burma and became an International
Arbiter
in 1966.
Academy, Chess
The
first chess academy was conducted at Fountainbleau,
France
in 1680.
Active Chess
The
first official Active Chess (30 minutes per game)
Tournament
was held in Gijon, Spain in 1988 and won by
Karpov
and Tukmakov. Karpov won the World Active
Championship
in Mazatlan, Mexico and received
$50,000.
The organizers of the event donated $100,000
for
AIDS research.
Adams, Michael (1971- )
British
Grandmaster who, in 1989, won the British Championship
at the age of
17 and became a Grandmaster.
Adams, Weaver (1901-1963)
US master who won the US Open in 1948. In 1939 he
wrote a book entitled, White to Play and Win. After publication
he played a tournament in Dallas. He lost all his
games as White and won all his games as Black!
Addison, William (1933- )
US International Master and considered the best Go
player among chess masters. He competed in the 1970
Interzonal in Palma de Mallorca then gave up chess for a
career in banking.
Adianto, Utut (1965- )
First Indonesian Grandmaster (1986). He was born in Jakarta,
Indonesia. He is a former World Junior Champion.
Adjournment
Closure of a playing session where a player seals his next
move. First introduced at Paris in 1878, adjournments are
now rare.
Agdestein, Simen (1967- )
Norwegian Grandmaster (1985) who tied for the World
Junior Championship with Arencibia in 1986. He has represented
Norway on their soccer team. He has won the Norwegian
championship 4 times, the first when he was 15.
Ager chessmen
Chess pieces found in Ager, Spain carved in rock crystal.
They are an example of the earliest type of chessmen
used in Europe. It was a popular, although untrue, tradition
that this set belonged to Charlemagne.
Agzamov, Georgy
(1954-1986)
Russian Grandmaster (1984) who was accidently killed
when he tried to take a short cut to go swimming and fell
down between two rocks.
AIPE
Association Internationale de la Presse Echiqueenne. It is
an organization of chess journalists founded in 1968 by
Jordi Puig. AIPE awards the chess Oscars to the outstanding
male and female players of the year. The 1997
chess Oscar went to Anand.
Aitken, James (1908-1983)
Won the Scottish chess championship 10 times.
Ajeeb
The name of the chess automaton built by Charles Hopper,
a Bristol cabinet-maker, in 1865. The life-size Indian
figure was operated by several chess and checker masters.
One opponent shot at Ajeeb after losing a game,
wounding the operator. One of the operators of Ajeeb
was chess and checker master Constant Ferdinand
Burille. During his years as operator, he played over 900
games of chess and only lost 3 games. He never lost a single
checker game. Pillsbury was its hidden operator from
1898 to 1904. When Ajeeb was on display in New York
at the Eden Musee, it played checkers for a dime and
chess for a quarter. Opponents included Theodore Roosevelt,
Houdini, Admiral Dewey, O. Henry and Sarah
Bernhardt. Ajeeb was 10 feet high. Ajeeb was first exhibited
at the Royal Polytechnical Institute in London in
1868. It was lodged at the Crystal Palace between 1868
and 1876 and then went to the Royal Aquarium at Westminster
until 1877. It was then taken to Berlin where over
100,000 saw it in three months. It came to New York in
1885. It was destroyed by fire at Coney Island in 1929.
Charles Barker, US checkers champion, also worked
Ajeeb, never losing a single game.
Akhmilovskaya, Elena
(1957- )
Woman Grandmaster from the Soviet Union who was the
1986 World Women’s Championship challenger. In
1988 she eloped with American IM John Donaldson
while playing in the ches olympiad in Greece. She returned
to the Soviet Union almost a year later to get her 7
year-old daughter. It took three weeks to secure their exit
visas. Her mother, Lidia Akhmilovskaya, qualified several
times for the USSR Women’s Championship and
was a top-ranked correspondence player.
Akhsharumova-Gulko, Anna
(1958- )
Finished first in the 1976 Soviet Women’s Championship.
Her husband, Boris Gulko, tied for first in the 1977
Soviet Men’s Championship. By all rights, she should
have won the 1983 Soviet Women’s title played in
Tallinn when she defeated her main competitor, Nona
Ioseliani after she won by time forfeit. It would have
given her 12 points to Nona’s 11 points. The next day,
Ioseliani filed a protest alleging a malfunction in the
clock. Anna refused to play. The result of her game was
arbitrarily reversed by the All-Union Board of Referees
in Moscow, thereby forfeiting her title and ending up in
3rd place. She regained the Soviet women’s crown in
1984. She won the U.S. Women’s championship in 1987
with a perfect 9-0 score.
Akins, Claude (1926-1993)
Movie actor and chess enthusiast. He taught Dean Martin
the game and always beat John Wayne.
Akopian, Vladimir (1971- )
World Under-16 Champion in 1986 and World Junior
Champion in 1991.
al-Adli (800?-860)
Father of opening analysis. He is credited with the use of
descriptive chess notation and a rating system (5 classes
of players). He was the strongest player of his time until
defeated by ar-Razi.
Alburt, Lev (1945- )
Russian Grandmaster who defected from the USSR in
1979. He has won the U.S. Championship 3 times and the
U.S. Open twice. He has a doctorate in physics and natural
philosophy. He was the first Grandmaster elected to
the governing body of the US Chess Federation.
Alekhine, Alexander
(1892-1946)
Alexander Alekhine (Aljechin) was the son of a wealthy
landowner. He learned chess from his older brother
around age 11. At 17 he gained his master title after winning
a tournament in St Petersburg. He was a prisoner of
war like all the other chess contestants at an international
tournament in Mannheim in 1914. He was taken to
Rastatt, Germany but he feigned madness and the Germans
released him as unfit for military service. In 1915
and 1916 he served in the Russian Red Cross. He was
captured by the Austrians and was hospitalized in
Tarnapol due to a spinal injury. There, he developed his
blindfold skills. After World War I, the Russian government
decorated him for bravery. In 1918 he was a criminal
investigator in Moscow. In 1919 he was imprisoned
in the death cell at Odessa as a spy. In 1920 he was back
in Moscow intending to be a movie actor. He also served
as interpreter to the Communist party and was appointed
secretary to the Education Department. He won the first
Soviet chess championship in 1920. In 1921 he married a
foreign Communist delegate and left Russia for good. In
1925 he became a naturalized French citizen and entered
the Sorbonne Law School. At the Sorbonne his thesis
dealt with the Chinese prison system. He did not get his
doctorate from the Sorbonne as he claimed. In 1925 he
played 28 games blindfolded, winning 22, drawing 3,
losing 3. In 1927 he defeated Capablanca in Buenos Ai-
res for the world chess championship. In 1930 he scored
the first 100% score in the Chess Olympiad, winning 9
games on board 1 for France. In 1935 he lost his world
championship to Max Euwe, but regained it in a return
match in 1937. During World War II, he became a Nazi
collaborator and declared he was ready to sacrifice his
life for a Nazi Russia. He competed in seven tournaments
in Germany during the war and wrote several pro-Nazi
articles. He died in Estoril, Portugal after choking on an
unchewed piece of meat. The body was not buried for 3
weeks as no one claimed the body. The Portugese Chess
Federation took charge of the funeral. Only 10 people
showed up for his funeral. His remains were transferred
to Paris in 1956, paid by the French Chess Federation.
His
tombstone has his birth and death date wrong.
Alekhine-Capablanca Match
1927
The entire match between Alekhine and Capablanca in
1927 took place behind closed doors in Buenos Aires.
There were no spectators or photographs. Alekhine won
the match with 6 wins, 3 losses, and 25 draws. Before this
match, Alekhine had not won a single game from
Capablanca. After the start of the match Alekhine was
suffering from an infection of the gums, and had to have
six teeth extracted.
Alexander, Conel Hugh O’Donel
(1909-1974)
Won the British Championship in 1938 and 1956. During
World War II he was part of the British Government
Code and Cypher Code along with other English chess
masters who helped break the German Enigma Code. He
was prohibited from travelling to any country under Soviet
control or influence during his lifetime because of
his association with cryptography. He was given the Order
of the British Empire (OBE) for his wartime services.
Alexandre, Aaron
(1766-1850)
Author of Encyclopedie des Echecs, the first book containing
the collection of all opening variations then
known. Published in 1837, he introduced the algebraic
notation and the castling symbols O-O and O-O-O. He
also wrote The Beauties of Chess in 1846, the first large
compilation of chess problems and endgames. He was a
Jewish rabbi who worked inside the automaton, the Turk.
Alfonsi, Petro
Physician of King Henry I and author of the Disciplina
Clericalis (Clerks Instruction). He included chess as one
of the seven knightly accomplishments to be mastered.
The other tasks included riding, swimming, archery, boxing,
hawking, and verse writing.
Alfonso Manuscript
A manuscript ordered by Alfonso the Wise (1221-1284),
King of Castile. It included chess, backgammon, and
games of chance with dice. Compiled in 1283, it is entitled
Juegos Diuersos de
Axedrez, Dados, y Tablas con
sus Explications,
Ordenudos por man Dado Del Rey don
Alonso el Sabio. It is the first source mentioning the
pawn’s double move on the first move.
Algebraic notation
The first use of algebraic notation is from a French manuscript
written in 1173. The first use of the figurine algebraic
notation occurred in Belgium in 1927. Algebraic
notation was introduced in Chess Life in 1969. It wasn’t
until 1974 that the first book employing the algebraic notation
was published by a major American publisher.
aliyat
Title given by caliph al-Ma’mun to the top four
chessplayers in the early ninth century. The top four players
were Jabir al-Kufi, Rabrab, al-Ansari, and
abu’n-Na’am. These are the first unofficial grandmasters
of chess. Their endgames survive today.
All-Russian Chess
Federation
First Russian chess federation, formed in 1914. It had
865 members.
Alladin
The strongest chessplayer at the end of the 14th century.
He was also known as Ali Shatrangi (Ali the
Chessplayer). He could successfully give odds to all
other leading players. He was Chinese and a lawyer.
al-Lajlaj (the Stammerer)
First person to analyze and publish works on the openings
in 910. He was a pupil of as-Suli, the strongest
player of the 10th century. His analysis were carried
down from Arabic to Persian to Sanscrit to Turkish to
16th century Italian.
Allen, Woody
Actor who said that he wanted to be on his high school
chess team, but the team said he was too small.
Allen, George (1808-1876)
The grand-nephew of Ethan Allen, who wrote The Life
of Philidor, musician and chess-player, in 1858. He was
the first to reveal how The Turk operated, in a book on
the first American Chess Congress.
Allgaier, Johann
(1763-1823)
Author of the first chess book published in German in
1795. He operated the chess automation The Turk, when
it beat Napoleon Bonaparte in 1809. He served as quartermaster
accountant in the Austrian army. He died of
dropsy, the accumulation of excessive watery fluid outside
the cells of the body.
al-Mutamid
Moorish poet-king who reigned over Seville in the late
11th century. He was regarded as a chess patron and kept
several chess masters in his kingdom. In 1078 Alfonso VI
and Ibn-Ammar, chess master in al-Mutamid’s court,
played a game of chess for the stake of Seville.
Ibn-Ammar won and the city was spared from siege.
Alfonso kept the chess set and board.
al-Rashid
Caliph of Baghdad who favored chess and granted liberal
pensions to chess masters in his court around 800 A.D.
America
The first mention of chess in America occurred in 1641
in Esther Singleton’s history of Dutch settlers. The
first American chess tournament was held in New
York in 1843.
American Chess Congress
The first American Chess Congress was won by Paul
Morphy in 1857. First prize was a silver service consisting
of a pitcher, four goblets, and a salver.
American Chess Federation
Forerunner of the US Chess Federation. In 1939 it
merged with the National Chess Federation to form the
USCF.
American Revolution
During the American Revolution, there was a strong effort
by the colonists to rename the pieces to Governor,
General, Colonel, Major, Captain, and Pioneer. A boy
gave General Rahl of the British Army a note from a spy
that George Washington was about to cross the Delaware
and attack. The general was so immersed in a chess game
that he put the note in his pocket unopened. There it was
found when he was mortally wounded in the subsequent
battle.
American Women’s Congress
The first American Women’s Congress was held in New
York in 1906.
Anand, Viswanathan (1969-
)
Indian Grandmaster (1988) who won the World Junior
Championship in 1987. In 1995 he played Kasparov for
the PCA world championship and lost. In 1998 he played
Karpov for the FIDE world championship and lost. He
has been among the top 5 players in the world for many
years. His 1998 FIDE rating is 2795, second only to
Kasparov (2815).
Andersen, Eric (1904-1938)
Won the Danish Championship 12 times, including 8
times in a row.
Anderson, Frank
(1928-1980)
Three-time Canadian Champion and International Master
(1954). He came closer to the Grandmaster title than
any other player. In 1958 he score 84% in the Munich
Olympiad. He became ill and was unable to play his final
round. He missed the Grandmaster title because of this.
Even if he had played and lost, he would have made the
final norm necessary for the Grandmaster title.
Anderson, Gerald
(1893-1983)
British chess problemist who became an International
Judge of Composition in 1960 and an International Master
in Composition in 1975. He was the last person to play
Alekhine.
Andersson, Terry
One of the hostages held by terrorists during the Iran crises.
He credits chess with helping him survive the ordeal.
Anderssen, Adolf
(1818-1879)
Strongest player in the world between 1859 and 1866.
When he died, his obituary was 19 pages long. In 1851 A.
Anderssen was recognized as the srongest chess player in
the world. That same year A. Anderson was recognized
as the strongest checker player in the world. In 1877 a
group of German chess fans organized a tournament to
commemorate the 50th anniversary of Anderssen’s
learning the chess moves. This is the only tournament in
chess history organized to commemorate a competitor.
He tied for second, behind Paulsen.
Andersson, Ulf (1951- )
Swedish Grandmaster (1972). In 1996 he set a world record
by playing 310 boards simultaneously, winning 268,
drawing 40, and losing 2 in 15 hours and 23 minutes.
Arabic
The first references of chess in Arabic occur in 720 in romantic
poems by Kutaiyira Azzata and al-Farazdaq. The
Arabicized name of the Persian Chatrang became
shatranj. The pieces were called Shah (king), Firz (minister
or queen), Fil (elephant or bishop), Faras (horse),
Rukh (chariot or boat), and Baidaq (foot-soldier).
Araiza, Jose (1897- )
Won the Mexican Chess Championship 15 times in a
row.
Arbiter
The director of a tournament or match. The youngest arbiter
of a major tournament was Sophia Gorman, who, at
age 19, was an arbiter at the World Candidates tournament.
FIDE created the International Arbiter title in
1951. An arbiter must have a working knowledge of two
official FIDE languages (English, French, German, Russian,
and Spanish).
Art
There are at least 20 paintings called “Checkmate.”
Ashley, Maurice (1966- )
First African-American International Master (1993). He
won the Marshall Chess Club Championship in 1993.
Ashtapada
A 64-square uncheckered gaming board used in India as
early as the 2nd century B.C. and borrowed for chess.
Asperling, B.
(1650?-1710?)
Swiss author of the Traite du Ieu Royal des Eschets, or
the Traite de Lausanne, in 1690. It is the last book which
allows the medieval king’s leap and the first book to classify
openings in an orderly way.
as-Razi
Champion of Persia in 847 after defeating al-Aldi in the
presence of the caliph Matawakkil. He wrote a book of
chess problems of which two survive today.
Association
The Scottish Chess Association is the oldest in the world,
founded in 1884.
as-Suli (880-946)
Turkish player who defeated al-Mawardi, the resident
master of the caliph al-Muktafi, to become the champion
of the known world in the 10th century. His superiority
was recognized up to Renaissance times.
Atahualpa (1500-1533)
12th and last Inca emperor of Peru who was imprisoned
by Francisco Pizarro and the Spanish conquistadors in
1533. He was imprisoned in Cajamarca, Peru and learned
chess by watching his guards play, and before long was
beating them all. It is said that a certain Spanish captain
hated him for this and had him murdered. This informa-
tion is preserved in a letter from Don Gaspar de Espinosa
(1533) and the autobiography of Don Alonso Enriquez
de Guzman (1518-1543).
Atkins, Henry (1872-1955)
British schoolmaster who won the British Championship
9 times out of 11 appearances, 7 times in a row
(1905-1911, 1924, 1925). Only Penrose has won it more
often (10 times). He was known as ‘the little Steinitz’.
Ault, Robin (1941-1994)
The first person to win the U.S. Junior Championship
three times (1959-1961). He also lost all 11 games at the
1959-60 US Championship.
Auto da Fe
Novel written by Nobel Prize winner for Literature, Elias
Canetti. The main character is a man named Fischer who
dreams of becoming world chess champion and buying
clothes from the best tailors in the world. The book was
written in 1935.
Automatons
Machines that give the illusion of playing chess. The first
automaton was Kempelen’s The Turk (1769), followed
by Hooper’s Ajeeb (1868), then Gumpel’s Mephisto
(1878).
Averbakh, Yuri (1922- )
Endgame expert and grandmaster who did not know
about the proper rule of castling while playing in an
international
tournament. He was the Soviet Chess Federation
president from 1972 to 1977. His daughter married
Grandmaster Mark Taimanov.
Avigad-Vernon, Ariel
(1987- )
Youngest person (7 years, 237 days) to beat an expert in a
rated tournament.
AVRO
Algemeene Veerenigde Radio Oemrop, a Dutch broadcasting
company, which sponsored the world’s strongest
tournament held up to that time in 1938. The top eight
players in the world participated (Keres, Fine, Botvinnik,
Alekhine, Reshevsky, Euwe, Capablanca, and Flohr).
First place was equivalent to $550. Alekhine, for the first
time in his life, came ahead of Capablanca. Capablanca,
for the first time in his life, fell below 50%. He lost four
games in this event. Flohr, the official challenger who
was expected to play a world championship match with
Alekhine, came last without a single vicctory in 14
rounds.
Axedrez
The Spanish word for chess. The Portuguese player
Damiano wrote a Spanish book suggesting chess was invented
by Xerxes and should be named after Xerxes,
hence, the word Axedrez.
