26Ledger's Junior Chess Win
The late actor Heath Ledger showcased his intellect beyond the screen, winning Western Australia's junior chess championship at the tender age of 10.
27. In 1993, a schism rocked the chess community as a response to perceived corruption within the International Chess Federation. This led to the formation of the Professional Chess Association, resulting in a period with two disputed world champions in chess.
28. Chess Grandmaster Ossip Bernstein faced a life-threatening situation when he was arrested by the Bolshevik secret police and ordered to be executed. However, upon discovering his identity as a renowned chess master, an officer challenged Bernstein to a game for his life. Bernstein won easily and secured his release.
29. In 1999, chess Grandmaster Garry Kasparov engaged in an extraordinary match against "The World," lasting over four months. More than 50,000 participants from over 75 countries made moves through a majority vote. Kasparov emerged victorious on the 62nd turn when 51% of "The World" opted to resign.
30. Supercomputers possess the capability to solve every chess ending involving seven pieces or fewer, irrespective of position, composition of remaining pieces, or potential moves. This vast database of information, known as the endgame tablebase, currently amounts to 18.4 terabytes in size.
Latest FactRepublic Video:
15 Most Controversial & Costly Blunders in History
31Cleveland Chess Tournament Raid
In 1973, law enforcement officers raided a chess tournament in Cleveland, arresting the tournament director and confiscating chess sets. The charges included allegations of gambling, as cash prizes were awarded to winners, and possession of gambling devices (the chess sets).
32. Church's Fried Chicken played a significant role in supporting chess during the 1970s. The San Antonio Church's Fried Chicken Inc. 1st International Chess Tournament, held in 1972, is regarded as one of the most significant chess events in American history.
33. En Passant is a rule in chess that permits a player to capture an opponent's pawn that has moved two squares from its starting position as if it had only advanced one square.
34. In contrast to chess, professional Go players consistently outperform the best computer programs in the game.
35. As of January 2021, no human player has defeated a computer opponent in a chess tournament for over 15 years.
