ABOUT US THE HALL OF FAME The World Chess Hall of Fame Additionally, the World Chess Hall The World Chess Hall of Fame is home to both the World and U.S. Halls of Fame. (WCHOF) is a nonprofit, collecting of Fame offers interpretive programs Located on the third floor of the WCHOF, the Hall of Fame honors World and institution situated in the heart of that provide unique and exciting U.S. inductees with a plaque listing their contributions to the game of chess and Saint Louis. The WCHOF is the only ways to experience art, history, science, features rotating exhibitions from the permanent collection. The collection, institution of its kind and offers a and sport through chess. Since its including the Paul Morphy silver set, an early prototype of the Chess Challenger, variety of programming to explore inception, chess has challenged artists and Bobby Fischer memorabilia, is dedicated to the history of chess and the the dynamic relationship between and craftsmen to interpret the game accomplishments of the Hall of Fame inductees. As of May 2013, there are 19 art and chess, including educational through a variety of mediums resulting members of the World Hall of Fame and 52 members of the U.S. Hall of Fame. outreach initiatives that provide in chess sets of exceptional artistic context and meaning to the game skill and creativity. The WCHOF seeks and its continued cultural impact. to present the work of these craftsmen WORLD HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES and artists while educating visitors 2013 2008 2003 2001 Saint Louis has quickly become about the game itself. Elizaveta Bykova Siegbert Tarrasch Mikhail Botvinnik Jose Capablanca a national and international chess Mikhail Chigorin Tigran Petrosian Robert Fischer destination. The success of the By enhancing public understanding Nona Gaprindashvili 2005 Vasily Smyslov Emanuel Lasker Chess Club and Scholastic Center and appreciation of art, history, Garry Kasparov Boris Spassky Paul Morphy 2011 of Saint Louis and the opening of the science, and chess, the WCHOF will Mikhail Tal Wilhelm Steinitz Vera Menchik 2004 World Chess Hall of Fame brought offer a unique experience while Alexander Alekhine international attention to the city of advancing the knowledge of the game. Machgielis Euwe Saint Louis. The WCHOF is home Our goal is to expand the cultural Anatoly Karpov to both the U.S. and World Halls and intellectual opportunities in of Fame, but its scope is not limited Saint Louis. U.S. HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES to the chess enthusiast. The World Chess Hall of Fame is an arts-based 2013 2007 1997 1990 institution that presents innovative Gregory Kaidanov Irving Chernev Kenneth Harkness Hans Berliner exhibitions of artistic and historical Mona May Karff Jeremy Gaige significance from nationally and 1996 1989 2012 2006 Fred Reinfeld Al Horowitz internationally recognized artists Alex Yermolinsky Yasser Seirawan and collectors. 1995 1988 2011 2004 Edmund Arpad Elo Boris Gulko Anatoly Lein Edmondson Jr. Hermann Helms Andrew Soltis Leonid Shamkovich 1994 1987 2010 2003 Arthur Bisguier Sam Loyd Diane Savereide Lev Alburt Robert Byrne Wilhelm Steinitz Jackson Showalter Walter Browne Larry Evans Herman Steiner Donald Byrne 1986 1993 Reuben Fine MISSION STATEMENT 2009 2001 Pal Benko Robert Fischer John Fedorowicz Lubomir Kavalek Victor Palciauskas Isaac Kashdan The mission of the World Chess Hall of Fame is to educate Burt Hochberg George Koltanowski visitors, fans, players, and scholars by collecting, preserving, 2000 1992 Frank Marshall 2008 Edmar Mednis Arnold Denker Paul Morphy exhibiting, and interpreting the game of chess and its Joel Benjamin Gisela Gresser Harry Pillsbury continuing cultural and artistic significance. Larry Christiansen 1999 George MacKenzie Samuel Reshevsky Nick de Firmian Benjamin Franklin 1991 1998 John Collins Milan Vukcevich Arthur Dake OUR HISTORY HISTORY OF CHESS IN SAINT LOUIS The World Chess Hall of Fame was Due to the vibrancy of Saint Louis and The success of the Chess Club and Another Saint Louis chess notable created in 1986 by the United States the success and growing international Scholastic Center of Saint Louis and was Mrs. Eveline Allen Burgess, named Chess Federation. Originally known reputation of the Chess Club and the opening of the World Chess Hall Woman’s Champion of the United as the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame, the Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, it of Fame have received international States in 1907. Samuel Burgess, small museum opened in 1988 in was then proposed that the contents attention from the chess community, husband of Eveline, was also actively the basement of the Federation’s of the Miami institution be moved to making Saint Louis the premiere chess involved in the local chess community. then headquarters in New Windsor, Saint Louis. Realizing the potential destination worldwide. In fact, the U.S. He served as the vice president and New York, and contained a modest to provide area youth with a vital Chess Federation named Saint Louis later president of the St. Louis Chess collection including a book of chess educational resource, Jeanne and Rex “Chess City of the Year” in 2009 and Club, of which Eveline was an honorary openings signed by Bobby Fischer, Sinquefield provided seed funding to 2011. The city of Saint Louis, however, member. Eveline was also an active the Paul Morphy silver set, and relocate the institution to Saint Louis. is not without a lengthy chess heritage. member of the West End Chess Club cardboard plaques honoring past while Samuel served as its president. grandmasters. In 1992, the U.S. Chess The World Chess Hall of Fame In 1886, Saint Louis hosted a segment Trust purchased the museum and opened September 9, 2011, in Saint of the first World Chess Championship, From the 1940s through the 1970s, moved its contents to Washington Louis’ bustling Central West End which culminated with Wilhelm Robert Steinmeyer was Missouri’s D.C. From 1992 to 2001, the collection neighborhood, directly across the Steinitz defeating Johannes Zuckertort premiere chess talent, consistently grew to include the World Chess street from the Chess Club and to become the first world champion. winning the St. Louis District Championship trophy won by the U.S. Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. The Benjamin Foster, a Saint Louis resident Championship. During that time, Saint team in 1993, numerous chess sets and World Chess Hall of Fame is housed and the editor of the St. Louis Globe- Louis repeatedly drew grandmasters boards, and the U.S. and World Hall in a former historic 15,900 square- Democrat chess column, published to the city for simultaneous exhibitions. of Fame inductee plaques. foot residence-turned business and Chancellor Chess: or the New Game of Through the 1960s and 1970s, features the U.S. and World Chess Chess three years later in 1889. His Reuben Fine, Larry Evans, Victor In 2001, the institution moved into a Halls of Fame, displays of artifacts book introduced a chess piece called Korchnoi and Tigran Petrosian were new, multi-million dollar facility at the from the permanent collection, and a “chancellor” and an additional pawn among those visiting Saint Louis to Excalibur Electronics headquarters temporary exhibitions highlighting to an enlarged board. Although his challenge Steinmeyer and other local in Miami, Florida, and was renamed the great players, historic games, proposal was ultimately rebuffed, it chess players. the World Chess Hall of Fame and and rich cultural history of chess. nonetheless received considerable Sidney Samole Museum. The Museum The WCHOF partners with the attention from the chess community. The Chess Club and Scholastic Center continued collecting chess sets, Chess Club and Scholastic Center to of Saint Louis opened its doors in books, tournament memorabilia, provide innovative programming The 1904 World’s Fair drew national 2008 and shortly thereafter became advertisements, photographs, and outreach to local, national, and and international visitors to Saint Louis. the new home for U.S. Championship furniture, medals, trophies, and international audiences. It also served as an occasion to hold Chess. A logical outgrowth of the journals until it closed in 2009. the Seventh Annual Chess Congress success of the club, the World Chess in the city. Frank J. Marshall, founder Hall of Fame opened in 2011. More of the Marshall Chess Club in New than a century after the World York City, was named tournament Championship match in 1886, Saint champion. Saint Louis resident and Louis has again caught the attention founder of the St. Louis Chess Club, of the international chess community Max Judd, was awarded second prize. and continues to celebrate the game through the innovative programming and exhibitions at the WCHOF. Exhibitions curated and organized by the World Chess Hall of Fame. Special thanks to the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis; Kelly Brown, Cleveland Public Library; Daniel Lucas, United States Chess Federation; United States Chess Trust; and World Chess Federation. Related programming and a downloadable pdf of this brochure can be found at www.worldchesshof.org. WORLD CHESS HALL OF FAME Director: Susan Barrett 4652 Maryland Avenue Saint Louis, MO 63108 (314) 367-WCHF (9243) Copyright World Chess Hall of Fame Design by Paige Pedersen Printed on Recycled Paper Facebook – World Chess Hall of Fame Twitter – @WorldChessHOF Instagram – WorldChessHOF Flickr – www.flickr.com/photos/worldchesshof Images courtesy of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, United States Chess Federation, Cleveland Public Library, and World Chess Hall of Fame. Cover Image: Sarah Carmody Back Cover Image: David Ulmer.