1Moscow Chess Robot Incident
In 2022, a chess robot in Moscow caused controversy when it injured the finger of its 7-year-old human opponent. The incident occurred after the boy made a rapid move without waiting for the robot to complete its turn.
2. Former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov infamously belittled Hungarian female chess player Judit Polgár, referring to her as a "circus puppet" and suggesting that women in chess should focus on motherhood. Later, Polgár went on to defeat Kasparov in the Russia versus the Rest of the World Match in September 2002.
3. The origins of modern chess can be traced back to ancient India, where a precursor to the game was first invented.
4. In the Indian village of Marottichal, villagers turned to chess as a substitute for alcohol following a ban on drinking. This shift led to the village's transformation into the renowned "Chess Village," boasting nearly 100% chess literacy among its residents.
5. Singularity Chess is a variant of the traditional game played on a board with a distorted center. This distortion allows for unique gameplay mechanics, such as pieces making U-turns, attacking the same square multiple ways, and bishops changing square colors.
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6Human vs. Computer Chess Stalemate
As of January 2021, no human player has defeated a computer opponent in a chess tournament for over 15 years.
7. In contrast to chess, professional Go players consistently outperform the best computer programs in the game.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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).
11Chess Endgame Tablebase
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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. The late actor Heath Ledger showcased his intellect beyond the screen, winning Western Australia's junior chess championship at the tender age of 10.
16Two-Move Checkmate
It is indeed possible to achieve checkmate in chess within just two moves, known as "Fool's Mate" or "Two-Move Checkmate."
17. The World Chess Federation adjusts tournament matchups to avoid pairing Iranians against Israelis, reflecting Iran's non-recognition of Israel's existence.
18. At a 1976 chess tournament in Amsterdam, Soviet grandmaster Viktor Korchnoi astutely inquired of an English competitor the spelling of "political asylum." He then promptly sought refuge, heading directly to a police station to declare his wish to defect.
19. Mathematically, the number of potential chess games surpasses the quantity of atoms in the observable universe.
20. In 1996, chess prodigy Bobby Fischer introduced a variant emphasizing creativity over rote memorization by randomizing the starting positions of the home row pieces.
21Fischer's Unrivaled Chess Skill
Despite his controversial legacy, computer algorithms have hailed Bobby Fischer as the greatest chess player in history. Years after his retirement, Bobby played a grandmaster at the height of his career. He said Bobby appeared bored and effortlessly beat him 17 times in a row. "He was too good. There was no use in playing him."
22. Following his devastating 6-0 defeat to Bobby Fischer in the 1971 World Chess Championship Candidates quarterfinals, Russian chess Grandmaster Mark Taimanov faced severe repercussions. His salary was revoked, he was prohibited from leaving the country, and he endured censorship in the press as the Russian government grappled with profound embarrassment.
23. In 1783, grandmaster Philidor achieved a remarkable feat by playing and winning three simultaneous chess games while blindfolded. Witnessing this extraordinary accomplishment, individuals signed affidavits due to doubts that future generations would believe such an astonishing display of skill was possible.
24. In medieval chess games, pawns promoted to queens were designated as "advisors" to avoid the implications of the king having multiple queens or infidelity.
25. International Master Jeremy Silman crafted the chess puzzle for "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," featuring Ron's sacrificial move. Despite his contribution, Silman went uncredited while various others received acknowledgment, ranging from hairdressers to donut delivery personnel.
