News archive
2025
Chess and Film
[The original article in German can be found here. Translation with DeepL.com (free version)]
This is the sixth exhibition by the G.H.S. Chess and Culture Foundation and, as usual, it is accompanied by a catalog in exceptionally high print quality, with numerous color illustrations, primarily from the collections of Siegfried Tschinkel and Walter Rädler, as well as from the archives of the publisher Georg Schweiger on the subject.
New Moves on Old Boards
by José A. Garzón
1475–1512: The Great Transition from Medieval to Modern Chess
In this chapter from Ajedrez, arte y cultura, Spanish historian José A. Garzón recounts the fascinating half-century when medieval chess and modern chess briefly coexisted.
Between 1475 and 1512, a generation of poets, humanists, and printers transformed a slow, symbolic game into a dynamic intellectual art — a perfect reflection of the Renaissance spirit.
From Shatranj to the Valencian Revolution
For seven centuries, Europe played chess according to the Arabic shatranj: a weak “alferza” (queen) and a short-moving bishop.
Everything changed around 1475 in Valencia, where Bernat Fenollar, Narcís Vinyoles, and Françí de Castellví composed the poem Scachs d’amor (“Chess of Love”).
This extraordinary work — both allegory and manual — introduced the modern Queen, the en passant capture, the double pawn move, and even an early form of castling.
It also describes the first complete modern chess game ever recorded, in which Castellví (Mars) defeats Vinyoles (Venus) under the arbitration of Fenollar (Mercury).
Vicent and the Spread of the New Game
Twenty years later, on May 15, 1495, Valencian scholar Francesch Vicent published the Llibre dels jochs partits dels scachs en nombre de 100, the first printed treatise on modern chess.
Though the original book has been lost, Garzón reconstructed it through a manuscript discovered in Cesena: one hundred problems written in Valencian, many identical to those found later in Lucena’s Repetición de amores y arte de ajedrez (Salamanca, 1497) and Damiano’s Questo libro (Rome, 1512).
Vicent thus stands as the true father of modern chess and one of the pioneers of scientific printing in Spain.
Valencia, Cradle of Modern Chess
The last two articles, sent to us by José A. Garzón, are more of a summary of his research.
Once again, I would like to thank him for these various contributions.
A Historical Journey through the Earliest Books and Manuscripts
by José A. Garzón
In this 2021 article published in eHumanista, historian José A. Garzón reflects on more than two decades of research devoted to a fundamental question:
Where and when was modern chess born?
Through a meticulous study of fifteenth- and early-sixteenth-century manuscripts and printed books, Garzón demonstrates that Valencia, on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, was the true birthplace of the modern game.
From Shatranj to the Chessboard of Europe
Garzón traces the evolution of chess from its Indian ancestor, chaturanga, to its Arabic form, shatranj, which reached medieval Europe through Muslim Spain.
For centuries, the rules barely changed: pieces moved slowly, and the alferza — the forerunner of today’s queen — could advance only one square diagonally. The game mirrored the static hierarchy of the feudal world.
The Damiano Mystery
Third article by José Garzón on major changes in chess during the Renaissance.
The full text, in Spanish, can be downloaded at the end of this summary.
The Damiano Mystery
by José Garzón
Rome, 1512 – When a Portuguese Pseudonym Revealed Modern Chess
In 1512, a small bilingual book appeared in Rome, printed in Italian and Spanish: Questo libro e da imparare giocare a scacchi et de le partite. Its author called himself simply Damiano Portugese — “Damiano the Portuguese.”
That modest volume became the first true bestseller in chess history, reprinted throughout the 16th century and cited by every later theorist.
A Success Born in Spain
Modern research by José A. Garzón and others has shown that the Damiano’s contents were not original.
Its 72 problems, “subtleties,” and descriptions of the new rules all came from an earlier source: the Llibre dels jochs partits dels scachs printed in Valencia in 1495 by Francesch Vicent.
In other words, the Damiano was not an Italian invention at all, but rather the Roman transmission of the Valencian revolution — the moment when the Queen, the modern Bishop, and our familiar game of chess were born.
The Book That Changed the History of Chess
This is the second article by José Garzón.
The full text, in Spanish, can be downloaded at the end of this summary.
Valencia, 1495 – When Francesch Vicent Brought the Game into the Modern Age
by José Garzón
In 1495, in a busy Valencian printing shop run by Lope de la Roca and Pere Trincher, a small book appeared that would forever transform the world of chess: the Llibre dels jochs partits dels scachs en nombre de 100, written by Francesch Vicent, born in Segorbe and living in Valencia.
This long-lost volume was the first printed treatise on modern chess — and arguably one of the most influential books in the history of the game.
Scachs d’amor: The Poem That Gave Birth to Modern Chess
José Garzón has sent several articles to complement his lecture given in Valencia on 5 September, which was entitled: Spain as the cradle of modern chess
These fascinating articles will be published in several instalments, with a summary in English and the full text in Spanish. Here is the first one.
Many thanks to José for allowing us to publish these texts.
Valencia, 1475 — when poetry invented the Queen
by José Garzón
In the twilight of the fifteenth century, in the brilliant humanist city of Valencia, three poets — Bernat Fenollar, Narcís Vinyoles, and Francí de Castellví — created a remarkable work titled Scachs d’amor (“Chess of Love”).
Behind its courtly allegory lies nothing less than the birth certificate of modern chess.
Read more … Scachs d’amor: The Poem That Gave Birth to Modern Chess
The Stories, Games, and Intrigues of Capablanca & Alekhine
Last June [New Capablanca and Alekhine book in Spanish] Luis Fernández Siles announced the release of his book in Spanish on the relationship between Capablanca and Alekhine.
His book is now also available in English.
You can find it here:
Read more … The Stories, Games, and Intrigues of Capablanca & Alekhine
Seville 1987 – Kasparov v. Karpov
The final lecture on Saturday 6 September, in Valencia, Spain, was given by the president of the Chess History and Literature Society, Frank Hoffmeister.
He recounted the World Chess Championship played in Seville in 1987 between Kasparov and Karpov.
Madrid 1973 – Karpov on the way to the throne
Continuation of the lectures on Saturday 6 September in Valencia, with Spain in the spotlight.
Jesús Seoane gives a detailed presentation of the highly competitive 1973 Madrid tournament.
A major victory for Karpov on his way to the world title.
Alekhine escapes to Spain
The second presentation on Sunday, 6 September, was devoted to Alekhine.
Denis Teyssou, an Alekhine specialist, recounted the final years of the fourth World Chess Champion's life, focusing mainly on his flight to Spain during the Second World War.
St. Sebastian 1911 – Capablanca's triumphant entry into Europe
On Saturday 6 September, the first presentation was given by Georges Bertola on the 1911 San Sebastian tournament. This was Capablanca's first tournament in Europe, and he made a big impression.
Georges is a Capablanca specialist, and I also refer you to the first volume of the biography of the brilliant Cuban player:
Capablanca, the prodigious ascent (1888-1920) - by Georges Bertola
Read more … St. Sebastian 1911 – Capablanca's triumphant entry into Europe
New essay on Spanish chess bibliography
The programme for Friday 5 September included a title that was somewhat mysterious to me:
Collector's Corner: NEBEA, Spanish Chess Bibliography: Genesis, contributions and curiosities
With a presentation by José A. Garzón.
In fact, it allowed me to discover a remarkable work on the origins of modern chess in Spain. The acronym NEBEA finally found an explanation: Nuevo Ensayo de Bibliografia Espanola de Ajedrez 1238-1938, or in English, New Essay on Spanish Chess Bibliography.
Co-authors: Miquel Artigas, José A. Garzón and Josep Alió.
Rodrigo (Ruy) LÓPEZ DE SEGURA and his reception in Europe
The second speaker on Friday, 5 September 2025, in Valencia (A memorable meeting in a historic location – CH&LS annual meeting in Valencia) was Herbert Bastian with his presentation on Ruy Lopez.
Read more … Rodrigo (Ruy) LÓPEZ DE SEGURA and his reception in Europe
Spain as the cradle of modern chess
Here is the presentation given by José A. Garzón in Valencia (Spain) on Friday, September 5, 2025.
This was part of the General Assembly of the CH&LS Chess History and Literature Society (A memorable meeting in a historic location – CH&LS annual meeting in Valencia.
A memorable meeting in a historic location – CH&LS annual meeting in Valencia
by Herbert Bastian
It was a special occasion that drew organised European chess historians to this year's meeting of the Chess History & Literature Society (CH&LS) in Valencia, Spain's third-largest city in the province of the same name at the mouth of the Turia River where it flows into the Mediterranean Sea, and they came in large numbers. While the city had been deeply concerned last year due to severe weather that claimed many lives, this time the weather was at its best, with temperatures around 30 degrees and plenty of sunshine.
Read more … A memorable meeting in a historic location – CH&LS annual meeting in Valencia
Invitation to the CCI Meeting in Nuremberg, October 31 – November 2, 2025
Thomas Thomsen, member of Chess Collectors International (CCI), has informed us about the upcoming CCI meeting, which will take place from October 31 to November 2, 2025, in Nuremberg, Germany. Once again, all members of CH&LS are warmly invited to participate.
Attached you will find the official invitations in English.
Further information is also available on the CCI website:
https://chesscollectorsinternational.org/news/coming-up-german-chess-collectors-meeting-from-october-31st-november-2nd-2025-in-nuremberg/
New Member: Michael Wiltshire
Our new member, Michael Wiltshire from Great Britain, introduces himself in the members area (you must be logged in to read).
Esteban Canal - Birth pains
by Alan McGowan
The mystery surrounding Esteban Canal’s date and place of birth has already been described on this website by CH & LS member Luca D’Ambrosio; before offering an addition to the story, it is worthwhile reviewing the different versions that have been offered.
Neue Wiener Schachzeitung 1923, page 286
Canal is 26, born Peru 1897. When he was 13, he went to Spain as a student,
Sahovski Glasnik 1926, page 203
Canal was born on April 19, 1897, on a ship in the Ocean on its way to Peru, where his parents had emigrated from Spain. He spent his childhood in Chiclayo, and in 1909, his restlessness compelled him to secretly leave his parental home and go to Europe.
Chronicle of the chess society “Roland” Weißenfels a.d.S.
by Siegfried Schönle
[Original article in German is here. Translation with DeepL.com (free version)]
Anyone who wants to know where Weißenfels is located must turn to p. 351 of the latest local history work by the brothers Konrad and Markus Reiß. A comprehensive work of 502 pages, color print, numerous facsimiles, photos and various illustrations.
With this book, the Löberitz Chess Museum wants to make the handwritten documents accessible to a larger group of people as annotated and transcribed facsimiles and thus preserve their content more securely for posterity.
For the Löberitz Chess Museum, the minutes contain important documents for completing the chess history in Saxony-Anhalt, which is a stroke of luck. The Löberitz Chess Museum is committed to preserving the chess tradition in Central Germany.
Read more … Chronicle of the chess society “Roland” Weißenfels a.d.S.
New Capablanca and Alekhine book in Spanish
Las historias, partidas e intrigas de Capablanca y Alekhine, the new book in Spanish by Luis Fernández Siles, offers a fascinating journey into the intellectual and human rivalry between two titans of the XXᵉ century, José Raúl Capablanca and Alexander Alekhine.
Over 400 richly documented pages, the author paints an accurate historical portrait of the turn of the century, tracing the rise of the two geniuses, their first duel and then the evolution of an unlikely relationship, combining respect, admiration and then growing enmity.
At the heart of the book are dozens of commented chess games, selected to illustrate the key moments of their confrontation on the chessboard. The author examines not only the strategies, but also the psychological tensions, the official negotiations and the off-field intrigues that punctuated their careers.
You can purchase it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F9BPRTDQ
Under this link you will find some information and sample pages to download: https://capakhine.es/index.php/blog/238-las-historias-partidas-y-enigmas-de-capablanca-y-alekhine
CH&LS General Assembly 2025 in Valencia!
In 1475, Francesco Vicent wrote his famous manuscript about chess with the modern rules in Valencia. Our member José A. Garzón has organised an exhibition to celebrate the 550 anniversaries thereof! Our society will visit the town and hold its general assembly from 5.-6. September 2025 with a first-class programme. We will hear lectures about different phases in the Spanish chess life, visit the old town and enjoy the exhibition. Details of the programme are enclosed.
Members and non-members are invited to register with our Secretary-General, Claes Løfgren (claes.lofgren54@gmail.com). We would look forward to numerous participation!
Frank Hoffmeister, President
Chess in the Philippines
by Frank Hoffmeister
Introduction
The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7.000 islands in South East Asia, offers a stunning array of landscapes, cultures, and experiences that captivate travelers from around the world. It is probably most known for its pristine beaches, rich history, and diverse wildlife. But the country has quite some attractions to offer as well or the chess historian, albeit less visible and hard to find without connections.
From 13 – 24 April 2025, I had the chance to discover some of those hidden treasures during my family vacation in the Philippines. Thanks to the amazing help of Joan Joy, an excellent free lance tourist guide from the “Blue Horizon” travel company, I was able to meet the living legend GM Eugenio Torre in Manila and the life-long friend of FIDE President Campomanes Leonides Bautista in Baguio City, a co-organiser of the world championship between Karpov and Korchnoi in 1978 in his home town. The present report tries to present to our society the hidden chess beauties of this amazing country.
The origins of chess in the Philippines
The origins of chess in the Philippines are obscure. What can be said with certainty that the Spaniards, who colonized the islands in the 16th century, had chess in their baggage. The impressive San Augustin Church in Manila can serve as a good example. Located in Intramuros, it is one of the oldest stone church complexes in the Philippines. It was built by Spanish friars of the Order of St. Augustine in the late 16th century and completed in 1607. In the recreation rooms of the first floor, I could detect an old wooden chess board. The guide confirmed that the inhabitants played chess and billiard as their pastime. It can therefore be assumed that the game found its way into the Philippines at least through this Spanish avenue.
Photos of Alexander Alekhine's death
Mr Terje Kristiansen (Norway) has written to us with a very interesting question about Alekhine and photos taken after his death.
Mr Kristiansen writes:
On 24 March 1946 Luís C. Lupi sent a letter to Robert Bunnelle of the Associated Press in London with “four (4) negatives and three prints of EXCLUSIVE ASSIOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS taken by me [Mr Lupi]. They are ALEXANDER ALEKHINE last photographs … Pixs show ALEKHINE lying dead in his hotel room.”
Note that the text of the letter appears in an article on Edward Winter's website here:
https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/alekhine3.html
And the question from Mr Kristiansen:
Only two of these four photos have been published. Is there any way to locate the other two photos?
Please send your reply to Jean Olivier Leconte lecafedelaregence@free.fr who will forward it to Mr Kristiansen.
Chess in the Jewish Refugee camp Landsberg am Lech (1946) and in the Ghetto Terezín/Theresienstadt (1942-1944)
by Frank Hoffmeister
I. Introduction
When our member Siegfried Schönle read the autobiography of the Jewish painter Samuel Bak (“Painted in Words”, Boston 2001) he noted that the author refers to the second husband of his mother as a “chess player”. Mr. Nathan Markowski hailed from Lithuania and was interned in the Conzentration Camp in Dachau (near Munich) during the second world war in 1944-45. After his liberation, he had no home anmore, and stayed in the Jewish refugee camp Landsberg am Lech, located west of Munich (1946). During his research about Markowski Schönle also received a number of chess related documents from the Ghetto Terezin/Theresienstadt (near Prague). During Nazi occupation of Czechia, a great number of the Jewish population of the region was transported there. Most interestingly, Schönle found that a certain Isidor Schorr organised chess activities in the Ghetto from 1942 to 1944. The present book presents the outcome of his meticoulous research on both Markowski and Schorr, as well as associated persons. The book is written in the German language and contains many pictures and documents, printed as facsimiles, which have never been published before.
Following up on the first laudatory reaction from Konrad Reiss, published in November 2024 on our webpage (Schach im DP-Lager Landsberg und im Ghetto Terezín / Theresienstadt [Chess in the Landsberg DP camp and in the Terezín / Theresienstadt ghetto]), the low number of copies has already been sold out. As the book is thus not anymore publicly available, it is all the more important to sum up the main points in English. In my view, some substantive points made in this original and high-quality research deserve particular attention among international chess historians.
New Member: Pablo Moujan
Our new member, Pablo Moujan from the USA, introduces himself in the members area (you must be logged in to read).
Gerbert of Aurillac (future Pope Sylvester II) and his possible relationship in the diffusion of Chess in the 10th century
by Alejandro Melchor
In the commendable work of Helena M. Gamer “The earliest evidence of Chess in the western literature - The verses of Einsiedeln” (1954), this author placed in the Monastery of Einsiedeln, founded by Otto I, the earliest literary evidence of Chess in the European West (around the year 990). Evidence perfectly coinciding in the first documentary mention we find precisely in "Hispania" (Spain) with the will of Ermengol I, Count of Urgell, in the year 1007 carried out on the occasion of the campaign against Al-Andalus (Muslim area center and south of Spain) of the Catalan counts. However, the author, observing the absence of Saracen terminology in the Alpine verses, was rather in favor of an influence of Byzantine origin rather than Muslim, which in any case could have arrived either by Hispanic or - preferably - Italic way. Reasonings without seems definitive, are certainly very convincing, so it seems that it can be affirmed that Chess appears simultaneously in the Alpine monasteries of the Ottonian dynasty and among the Catalan nobility. Even in the case that the influence came from more than one source, as it could seem natural talking about something like a board game, the coincidence is remarkable. What could be the cause? It would be necessary to go further ...
New Member: Alejandro Melchor
Our new member, Alejandro Melchor from Spain, introduces himself in the members area (you must be logged in to read).
Online access to the Ken Whyld Library is available again
Dear members of the Society,
our member Francois Zutter has informed as that the online access to the Ken Whyld library in Switzerland has been reestablished. The general website is https://museedujeu.ch/le-musee/. You can also have direct access via https://biblio.la-tour-de-peilz.ch/tour-msj/.
I hope you find this information useful!
Best regards
Frank Hoffmeister, President
150 years chess club St. Gallen (Switzerland)
The CH&LS has the honour to publish a booklet about the history of the chess club in St. Gallen (in German) and wishes to thank the former President, Mr. Hans Altherr, and the author, Mr. Michael Nyffenegger, for their kind authorisation.
GM Dr phil. Robert Hübner (6.11.1948 - 4.1.2025)
- not only a chess genius -
by Siegfried Schönle
[Original article in German is here. Translation with DeepL.com (free version)]
Firstly, this remark before anything else:
In just a few words in this article, it is almost impossible to adequately honour the chess and academic work of the late GM Dr phil. Robert Hübner (6.11.1948 - 4.1.2025)[1] in this article is simply not possible. The author would also like to ask for your understanding that he can only say a few things about Dr Robert Hübner. This is due to a lack of knowledge and language skills.
Instead, in reference to his own book title, Elemente einer Selbstbiographie [Elements of a Self-Biography], Berlin, Edition Marco 2015), some ‘elements’ of his biography will be recalled to the reader's memory.
This is an attempt to perhaps emphasise the lesser-known sides and interests of his personality.
A review of his entries in eight English- and German-language encyclopaedias revealed a fairly uniform picture: date of birth; learnt chess at the age of 5; his successes in decades after Büsum 1968 (see photo below); multiple World Championship candidate in around 20 years; participation in 6 World Championship cycles; papyrologist; various winning games at the end of the articles.
The focus of the articles in the encyclopaedias is, quite understandably, on the chess career. - So far so good!
Read more … GM Dr phil. Robert Hübner (6.11.1948 - 4.1.2025)
Jesus Diez del Corral: The Spanish Botvinnik
Mr Juan Carlos Sanz Menéndez has just published in Spanish, Jesús Diez del Corral: El Botvinnik español, about the second Spanish grandmaster, covering his entire chess career from 1945 to 1988, with over 1000 games, the vast majority of which do not appear in game databases. It is available from the specialist chess publisher Tienda Chessy: DIEZ DEL CORRAL El Botvinnik español
Description:
Book including all the games of Diez del Corral, the 2nd Spanish Grandmaster in history and one of the most talented. Covers his entire chess career, from 1945 to 1988.
This work is the result of a titanic effort by the author, who has endeavoured to bring together almost all the games played by one of the most talented Spanish grandmasters (and surely also one of the most professional in his preparation).
Not only is it a journey through Diez del Corral's chess career, but it is also a look at the leading Spanish masters of the time, who in most cases held the title of National Master by being placed prominently in the national championships. These now unknown players were among the strongest in Spain and with this work we make them known, with a brief biography.
Jesús Diez del Corral (1933-2010) was for more than a decade (from 1968 to 1979) the strongest player in Spain, although he had to combine chess with his demanding professional obligations (he was a land registrar and notary, for example).
Money makes the (chess) world go around
In the German chess journal Schach our President Frank Hoffmeister published recently an article about the difficulties of world champions and their challengers to find sponsors for their matches. With the kind authorisation of the publisher, our member Raj Tischbierek, please find attached his contribution (in German).