First Moves / Chess news from around the U.S. Gisela Gresser and Arnold Denker at the 1944 U.S. Chess Championship in New York, 1944. Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame
Pivotal Moments in Women’s Chess Highlighted in New Exhibit
“Her Turn: Revolutionary Women of Chess,” at the World Chess Hall of Fame
WOMEN HAVE PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT and advancement of the game of chess. Their contributions will be underscored in “Her Turn: Revolutionary Women of Chess,” an exhibit that runs through September 4, 2016 at the World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) in St. Louis. The exhibit highlights many of the most significant female chess players
from the late 19th through early 21st centuries. The exhibit, which is scheduled through September 4, 2016, includes artifacts from the WCHOF’s collection as well as loans from the John G. White Chess Collection at the Cleveland Public Library and numerous private collections. The photographs and other artifacts included in the show tell stories about women chess stars, both in the United States and worldwide. “These historically significant objects shed light on the illustrious chess
careers of these prominent women,” Emily Allred, the exhibition’s curator, said. “Our organization’s mission, in addition to highlighting the cultural and artistic significance of chess, is to increase the awareness around its historical value. Through education, we encourage more young girls and women to take up the game.” Significant items related to decisive moments in women’s chess history,
some on view for the first time to the general public, include: Susan Polgar’s 1996 Women’s World Chess Championship trophy, Alexandra Kosteniuk’s 2008 Women’s World Chess Championship medal, and a bronze medal from the inaugural Women’s Chess Olympiad belonging to Gisela Gresser. A few of the famous female chess players highlighted will include:
●Vera Menchik, the first Women’s World Chess Champion (London, 1927), 10 April 2016 | Chess Life
who defended her title six times in tournaments throughout the next 17 years and was the first female inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame in 2011.
●Nona Gaprindashvili and Maya Chiburdanidze, who went on to dominate the women’s title for nearly 30 years (1963-1991) and competed actively against male players.
●Xie Jun and Zhu Chen, who encompassed the Chinese dynasty years (1990s- early 2000s) and competed alongside the infinitely talented Polgar sisters, Susan, Sofia and Judit.
In October 2015, the WCHOF opened “Ladies’ Knight: A Female Perspective
on Chess,” an exhibit featuring a group of contemporary female artists including Rachel Whiteread, Yoko Ono and Barbara Kruger, that explores societal issues through art using chess as an artistic medium. Soon after the opening of Ladies’ Knight, the Chess Club and Scholastic
Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL) began beginner chess classes for women from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday evenings taught by International Master Irine Sukander and Woman Grandmaster Katerina Nemcova. As part of Her Turn, the CCSCSL will also host an installation of photographs,
score sheets and other artifacts related to the 2009-2015 U.S. Women’s Chess Championships, curated by research assistant Catherine Niehaus. Admission to Her Turn and Ladies’ Knight: A Female Perspective on Chess
is free with a suggested donation of $5 per person. Admission to “Kings, Queens & Castles” is $5 and free on Tuesdays.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76