World Chess Hall of Fame facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
World Chess Hall of Fame

World Chess Hall of Fame Logo
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Former name	U.S. Chess Hall of Fame World Chess Hall of Fame and Sidney Samole Museum
Established	1984 (1984)
Location	Central West End, St. Louis Missouri
Type	Hall of Fame Art museum
Public transit access	MetroBus

The World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) is a special museum in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. It's a place that collects and shows off amazing chess items. The museum also teaches people about chess and honors the best chess players.

It has two main lists of famous players: the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame and the World Chess Hall of Fame. The world list is chosen by FIDE, which is the international chess organization. The WCHOF started in 1984 and is run by the United States Chess Trust. It used to be in other cities like New York and Miami. In 2011, it moved to St. Louis.

History of the Hall of Fame

Logo used from 2011 to 2013

The World Chess Hall of Fame was first created in 1986. It was called the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame back then. Steven Doyle, who was the president of the U.S. Chess Federation, started it.

In 1988, the first small museum opened in New York. It had a few cool things. These included a chess book signed by Bobby Fischer and a silver chess set. This set was given to Paul Morphy, a famous American chess player. The museum also had plaques honoring past chess grandmasters.

In 1992, the U.S. Chess Trust took over the museum. They moved it to Washington, D.C. In Washington, the museum focused on America's "big four" chess players. These were Paul Morphy, Bobby Fischer, Frank Marshall, and Samuel Reshevsky. It also showed the World Chess Championship trophy won by the U.S. team in 1993. Visitors could even play against a chess computer. By 2001, the museum had many chess sets, boards, and plaques.

Later, in the late 1990s, a man named Sidney Samole suggested moving the museum to Miami. He wanted to build a special building shaped like a rook (a chess piece). Sidney Samole passed away in 2000. But the U.S. Chess Trust still liked his idea.

So, in 2001, the museum reopened in Miami. It was renamed the World Chess Hall of Fame and Sidney Samole Museum. The museum kept collecting chess sets, books, and other cool items. It closed in 2009. Soon after, Rex Sinquefield offered to pay for the museum to move to St. Louis. He also paid to fix up its new building.

Today, the World Chess Hall of Fame is across from the Saint Louis Chess Club. It shows off items from its own collection. It also has special exhibits about great players and famous games. The museum works with the Chess Club to offer programs and lessons.

The museum's collection includes some amazing things. There's a 500-year-old piece from an Egyptian game called senet. This is one of the oldest known board games! They also have a custom-made chess furniture set that belonged to Bobby Fischer. And you can see the first ever commercial chess computer. The museum also has two new temporary exhibits each year.

Hall of Fame Members

The World Chess Hall of Fame honors the best chess players. There are two main groups of members.

• The U.S. Chess Hall of Fame has 67 members. Some famous names include Bobby Fischer, Benjamin Franklin, and Paul Morphy.
• The World Chess Hall of Fame has 43 members. This list includes players like José Raúl Capablanca, Anatoly Karpov, and Garry Kasparov.

In 2011, Vera Menchik became the first woman to join the World Chess Hall of Fame. She was the winner of the first Women's World Chess Championship. The new members for 2011 were welcomed during the Grand Opening in St. Louis.

How U.S. Members Are Chosen

A special committee called the U.S. Chess Federation Hall of Fame Committee suggests new members. They send their ideas to the U.S. Chess Trust every year. The people in charge of the U.S. Chess Trust then vote on who should be added.

The new members are usually announced at a special event. This can be at the U.S. Open chess tournament or at the World Chess Hall of Fame in St. Louis.

How World Members Are Chosen

For the World Chess Hall of Fame, new members are suggested by people from the World Chess Federation (FIDE).

Special Exhibitions

The World Chess Hall of Fame often has special exhibits. These shows feature chess history, art, and unique chess sets.

Art and Chess: "Out of the Box"

This art show was open from September 2011 to February 2012. It showed how artists use chess in their work. The artists explored chess as a game and as a design idea. One artist, Guido van der Werve, even played a chess piano he built! Musicians from the Saint Louis Symphony played along.

Amazing Chess Sets: "Chess Masterpieces"

This exhibit, also in 2011-2012, showed beautiful old chess sets. These sets came from all over the world. They showed how chess sets changed over hundreds of years. Some sets were even owned by famous people like Catherine the Great and Napoleon.

Marcel Dzama: "The End Game"

From March to August 2012, this exhibit featured art by Marcel Dzama. His work included films, drawings, and sculptures. His film showed characters dressed as chess pieces. They danced on a checkered board, challenging each other.

Bobby Fischer: "Icon Among Icons"

This show, from March to October 2012, featured photos of Bobby Fischer. The pictures were taken by Harry Benson. He was the only person allowed to be with Bobby Fischer during his famous 1972 World Chess Championship match. Benson was even the first to tell Fischer he had won!

St. Louis Artists: "Screwed Moves"

From September 2012 to February 2013, this exhibit showed a unique wall drawing. Nine St. Louis artists worked together to create it. Their art was inspired by chess.

Chess in Pop Culture: "Everybody's Game"

This exhibit, from October 2012 to April 2013, looked at chess in everyday life. It showed how chess appears in magazines, music posters, and movies. It proved that chess is truly "everybody's game."

Presidents and Chess: "Power in Check"

From October 2012 to April 2013, this show explored how chess has been part of the American presidency. It looked at how presidents, starting with George Washington, have been connected to chess.

Bill Smith: "Beyond the Humanities"

This exhibit, from March to August 2013, featured art by Bill Smith. He used art to show how rules guide our world. His work connected art, chess, and nature. It showed how patterns are found in music, games, animals, and even galaxies.

Old Chess Treasures: "Prized and Played"

From May to September 2013, this show displayed over eighty beautiful, old chess sets. These sets came from different centuries and countries. It also had other interesting items about chess history.

Fashion and Queens: "A Queen Within"

This exhibit, from October 2013 to April 2014, explored the idea of a queen. It used fashion designs to show different types of queens. It connected fashion to stories and cultural ideas.

Jacqueline Piatigorsky: "Patron, Player, Pioneer"

From October 2013 to July 2014, this show honored Jacqueline Piatigorsky. She was one of the best female chess players in the 1950s and 1960s. She also supported chess as a patron. The exhibit included items from her own collection.

Music and Art: "Cage & Kaino"

From May to September 2014, this exhibit featured works by John Cage and Glenn Kaino. It also included live performances of their art.

Game Design: "Strategy by Design"

This exhibit, from May to September 2014, focused on games designed by the Michael Graves Design Group.

Bobby Fischer's Life: "A Memorable Life"

From July 2014 to June 2015, this exhibit explored the life of Bobby Fischer. He is considered one of the greatest American chess players ever.