Introduction
Chess has been a part of the lives of many people across the planet since its discovery. Every continent on the planet has had some interaction with chess at some point in history but some countries have developed a much stronger relationship with the board game than others. Chess has been utilised for many reasons beyond its original design being to develop strategy in an interactive enjoyable way. Chess has been a great tool in bringing like-minded people together from all different walks of life who share the same passion for chess.
As time goes on cultures adapt and innovate and many traditions and interests that were previously popular become obsolete. The tradition of playing chess in some countries around the world has faded only to resurface for the most part when stimulated by external forces such as the media and social media. The countries that have been able to uphold the tradition of playing chess over the years however have seen many benefits. One of these benefits is the strengthening of the intellect of the people who enjoy the game regularly.
Why Is Chess Mandatory In Armenian Schools?
Chess has been a mandatory subject that students must learn in Armenian schools for a decade and since this rule came into effect the country has seen many benefits in numerous areas of society. The effect of this ruling has led to a significant increase in the amount of high-ranking chess players in the country. Armenia is ranked as the 12th country with the highest number of grandmasters in chess and has produced 44 world famous chess grandmasters. The overall aim of this chess move that was made by the government of Armenia was to encourage the development of independent and strategic thinking amongst the Armenian populace starting from a young age. There are a great number of advantages to being exposed to chess for young children that it is too extensive to overlook. Chess is able to impact many aspects of life such as the development of strong mental facilities and the maintenance of health and well-being especially the mental health of older people. In 2011 Armenia officially became the first country in the world to make chess a mandatory subject in schools across the country. Armenia has a long history with chess dating back to the early Middle Ages which is likely one of the reasons why chess has been so widely adopted throughout the country. Chess was also institutionalised in Armenia during the era of the Soviet Union and became extremely popular when Tigran Petrosian became the world chess champion securing a huge victory for the country.
Tigran Petrosian’s success in chess has inspired countless Armenians both old and young to consider playing chess as both a hobby and a potential career path. The Tigran Petrosian chess house is one of the most popular chess hotspots in Armenia which opened in 1970 under the name the Armenian Central House of Chess however it was later renamed to The Tigran Petrosian Chess House in 1984 and has become a major tourist attraction. Chess players from around the world can meet up and play chess against chess players of all levels at the Tigran Petrosian Chess House. Tigran Petrosian’s chess house has been extremely popular in Armenia since its inception and has housed many international chess events and nurtured the development of thousands of aspiring Armenian chess players. There are numerous prestigious national chess tournaments that are held annually in Armenia which includes the Stepan Avagyan Memorial International Youth Open Chess Tournament, the Armenian Chess Championships and the Armenian National Youth and Junior Chess Championships. Armenia is also home to many of the world’s best chess players such as Levon Aronian, Vladimir Akopian, Gabriel Sargissian and Haik.M.Martirosyan. There are numerous chess cafes throughout Armenia which large numbers of the Armenian population visit regularly to socialise and play chess which shows how entwined chess is with Armenian culture.
Where Is The Most Popular Place In The United States To Play Chess?
The United States is home to many of the world’s most famous grandmasters in chess and there are many places throughout the United States where individuals can play chess against fellow chess advocates in the streets or in chess clubs. One of the main places in the United Sates where chess players frequently gather to play chess is Union Square Park in New York City. Union square Park in New York is home to the famous chess hustlers and numerous grandmasters in chess have travelled to New York’s Union Square Park to challenge these chess hustlers to a chess game. Thousands of people travel not only from across the states but from around the world in search of a challenging chess game from these chess hustlers. Players of varying levels of skill can meet up at these chess hotspots to challenge each other to chess games with some of the most interesting games gaining virality on online platforms like YouTube. The addition of clocks to these chess games adds an element of urgency which creates an atmosphere that is similar to that of a live chess tournament minus the reward money but also without the expected stress that comes with competing in an actual chess tournament. A typical game of chess in New York’s Union Square Park resembles a typical game of chess with friends and family at home which can be both relaxing after a long day of work and exciting.
Chess players from old to young are able to meet up at Union Square Park and play other chess players amongst small and large interested crowds of people to display their chess skills. Another popular hotspot in New York for playing chess is Washington Square Park which is known for it’s giant chess boards and lively atmosphere. There are many other chess hotspots in the United States such as Chicago, Illinois where chess is played in numerous public spaces as well as in official chess clubs and Golden Gate Park in San Francisco but the most famous by far is New York’s Union Square Park. Chess is a significant part of American culture and most parks within the United States have designated areas for playing chess. The United States is home to over a hundred of the world’s most famous chess grandmasters with one of the most famous being Fabiano Caruana who is ranked as the third highest FIDE rated chess player in the world. The United States is the second country with the highest number of grandmasters in chess with the first country being Russia. The United States is also home to numerous chess personalities such as Levon Aronian, Wesley So, Hikaru Nakamura Eric Rosen, Alexandra and Andrea Botez, Benjamin Finegold and Levy “Gotham Chess” Rozman.
Why Do So Many Chess Grandmasters Come From Russia?
A total of 229 chess grandmasters reside in Russia and that number has been steadily increasing over the years. One of the main reasons that the vast majority of the world’s chess grandmasters reside in Russia has a lot to do with Russian school system and Russian culture in general. Since the days of the Soviet Union chess has played a huge role in the lives of the Russian populace along with most or all the countries in which the USSR were present. The fondness that the Soviet Union had for chess paved the way to the institutionalisation of chess in the Soviet Union. Chess was seen as an instrumental tool for the development of strong, independent strategic thinkers in the Soviet Union which is one of the reasons why many of the enemies of the Soviet Union saw them as formidable and resilient opponents. Being able to cultivate the best minds during the cold war was vital for the success of the soviets and so the introduction of chess to everyday life was seen as an essential component to achieving this goal. After the decay of the Soviet Union the Russians and many other countries that were under the influence of the soviets maintained the tradition of playing chess as a way of strengthening the intellect of their societies and have been able to remain a force to be reckoned with in chess compared to other countries because of it.
Many countries that were previously run by the Soviet Union have adopted the idea of chess being more of a subject to study than just a regular board game. Where in most countries one would have to hire a chess coach or enrol in an online chess course in order to find tutelage in chess its common in countries like Russia to be taught to play chess by trained and experienced chess teachers in school. Having an abundance of great chess teachers from a very early age and the encouragement to play and master the game has been great for the Russians. Russia has maintained its title as the home of the most grandmasters in chess for many years and is likely to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Russia currently holds the title for being home to the largest number of chess grandmasters in the world with 256 chess grandmasters hailing from Russia. Numerous prestigious national and international chess tournaments are frequently held in Russia such as the Russian Chess Championships, the Russian Cup, the Russian National Team Championships, the Russian National Youth and Junior Chess Championships, the Russian National Senior Chess Championships, the Moscow Chess Grand Prix, and the Aeroflot Open Chess Tournament.
Why Are There So Many Chess Grandmasters In India?
It’s not surprising that India ranks highly for housing many of the world’s grandmasters in chess being that India is the birthplace of modern chess as we know it. Currently India is home to 64 grandmasters in chess and many more international masters and is ranked as the 5th country with the highest number of grandmasters in the world behind Russia, the United States, Germany and Ukraine. Unlike Russia, India has an even longer history with chess and the institutionalisation of chess in India is ever present mostly due to the success players such as Viswanathan Anand and Pentala Harikrishna have been able to achieve over the years. Many young Indians are drawn to chess as India is also home to some of the youngest grandmasters in chess such as Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Gujrathi, S.L Narayanan, Aravindh Chithambaram, Arjun Erigaisi, Gukesh D, Nihal Sarin, and Raunak Sadhwani. India has one of the largest national chess federations in the world and there are currently over 90,000 active chess players in the All India Chess Federation. The study of chess is also implemented as a subject in schools in India and children are heavily encouraged to play chess which has significantly impacted the popularity of chess in India as well helped with the development of young talented chess players in India.
Numerous prestigious national and international chess tournaments are held in India such the 44th Chess Olympiad, the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, the National Premier Chess Championships, the National Women’s Chess Championships, the National Chess Team Championships, the National Youth and Junior Chess Championships, and the National Senior Chess Championships. Many grandmasters in chess have vivid memories of playing chess in their youth and can boast of having years of experience playing chess compared to others who have not been privy to the same experiences. Although having years of experience playing chess is a great asset to have it is not a necessity to being extremely successful in chess. A great example of this statement would be the fact that the youngest Indian chess player to win a sub junior championship in India was Viswanathan Anand who was able to accomplish this feat in 1983 at only 14 years of age. Chess has been popular in India for centuries, but it has recently been gaining even more popularity with the rise of young chess prodigies like Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa. The future of chess in India is bright and will result in even more fans of chess travelling to India to be amongst the legends in chess.
How Popular Is Playing Chess In England?
Chess has been popular in England since its arrival in the early medieval period and numerous members of the royal family have been known to enjoy playing chess such as William the Conqueror, King John, King Henry I, King Henry II, King Henry VIII, King Richard I, Edward I, and Queen Elisabeth I. Chess has been deemed a royal game due to it being so popular amongst the noble classes not just in England but around the world and it is often called the game of kings for this reason. The popularity of chess in England has fluctuated since its introduction into the country however England has held onto the love of the game. The popularity of online chess has grown much more prevalent in the United Kingdom with millions of British people joining sites like chess.com and Lichess.org. Although the rise of the internet has pushed more and more chess players online there are still places in England where meeting up to play chess in person is still a way of life. In London The Simpson’s In-The-Strand has remained the home of chess for London since the 19th century. Many of the greats in chess have played at this pub including members of the Staunton family, the original inventors of the Staunton chess board set. When travelling to London one of the best places to play and learn about chess has to be the Simpsons In-The-Strand pub.
Some other popular places to play chess in England include the Chess and Bridge shop in Marylebone, the Battersea Chess Club, the Liverpool Chess Club, Holland Park in Kensington, and the London Chess Centre. There are dozens of chess clubs throughout England where chess players also meet up to play chess such as in library’s, youth clubs, and spaces provided by numerous local councils. The English Chess Federation also has a thriving community of chess players, and a website where can find their nearest chess clubs. Some of the most prestigious international and national chess tournaments are held annually in England such as the London Chess Classic, the British Chess Championships, the British Women’s Chess Championships, the National Schools Chess Championships, the County Championships, the British Rapidplay Chess Championships and the Uk Open Blitz Chess Championships. England ranks as the 15th country in the world with the most chess grandmasters and is currently home to 36 of the world’s most famous grandmasters in chess. One of the best and most famous chess players in England is Michael Adams who achieved a FIDE rating of 2761 which is the highest rating of any English chess player in history. Michael Adams is currently the 35th highest FIDE rated chess player in the world. England is also home to world class chess players such as Luke McShane, Nigel Short, and David Howell.
Is Chess A Part Of Chinese Culture?
China has as long a history with chess much like India as the roots of chess stems from multiple locations across the globe with China being one of them. China’s relationship with chess is deep however the Chinese have many different variations of chess. The Chinese version of chess, xiangqi is the preferred version of chess in China however western chess is still played and China has a large arsenal of strong chess players and is home to the current world chess champion, Ding Liren. Some of the best chess players in China include Wang Hao, Li Chao, Wang Yue, Wei Yi, Bu Xiangzhi, Ni Hua, Hou Yifan, Ju Wenjun, Zhao Xue, Xie Jun and Lei Tingjie. China also has one of the largest national chess federations in the world with 300,000 active members. China’s long history with chess has resulted in the intertwining with Chinese culture and the tradition of playing chess. China is home to 48 of the world’s most famous grandmasters in chess and 21 world famous female chess grandmasters and is ranked as the 10th country with the highest number of chess grandmasters in the world. Like most countries that promote chess in schools the Chinese view chess and other strategy games as an excellent tool for cultivating discipline, strategic thinking, and developing problem solving skills.
Strategy games like chess are considered an art in China and the Chinese have more than one outlet to turn to when in need of a fun and productive activity to past time. Some of the most prestigious chess tournaments that take place in China include the Shenzhen Masters, the Chinese Chess Championships, the Chinese National Chess Team Championships, the Chinese National Youth Chess Championships, and the Chinese National Senior Chess Championships. Board games like Go and Xiangqi (the Chinese version of chess) are the most popular board games in China compared to the western version of chess which may explain why China produces less chess grandmasters than countries like Russia and the United States. Upon further inspection one would realise that even though China may not produce as many grandmasters in chess there is an abundance of grandmasters in Go and Xiangqi. Although this may be the case overall the art of playing chess, any variation of it, is still considered a part of Chinese culture. The Chinese government actively support the development of young talented chess players and promote chess in schools and as a result the popularity of chess in China has risen over the years and the number of grandmasters in chess has also been steadily increasing.
How Important Is Chess In Ukraine?
Ukraine is home to 93 of the world’s most famous chess grandmasters and Ukraine has a long history with chess that spans many generations. Much like Russia, Ukraine’s relationship with chess stems from the Soviet Union era where chess served as a significant educational tool that the Soviet Union coveted for it’s ability to develop the strategic thinking, the problem solving skills, the discipline and the overall intellect of the population. Chess is deepy embedded in the culture of Ukraine and it is played by people of all walks of life and by people of all age groups. The study of chess has been a part of the Ukrainian school system for decades and most of the older generation of Ukranians grew up playing chess in school and continue to not only play chess as a means of entertainment but have also gone on to teach chess to the younger generations. It’s very common in Ukraine for parents to teach their children and younger relatives how to play chess as well as for children to be taught how to play and improve in chess at school by teachers who are experienced chess players which is undoubetdly one of the reasons why Ukraine has produced such a large number of chess grandmasters.
The Soviet Union encouraged the citizens within their state to play and master a wide range of sports including chess and many athletes were reprimanded by the state if the state felt as though they lacked the determination to win. Chess also served as an important tool during the cold war that was used by politicians in the Soviet Union to disseminate propaganda through the media that exemplified the intellectual dominance of the Soviet Union and the countries within its constituency such as Ukraine. Even after the fall of the Soviet Union countries like Ukraine continued to play chess and promote chess to the younger generations which is a testament to Ukraine’s love for chess and the traditional and cultural importance of chess in Ukraine. Chess players such as Sergey Karjakin, Vasyl Ivanchuk, Pavel Eljanov, and Ruslan Ponomariov are some of the strongest chess players from Ukraine and in the world who have inspired countless young Ukranian chess players and contributed to the national pride that millions of Ukrainians have for their country of birth. Ukrainian chess players that achieve high levels of success are seen as celebrities in Ukraine and are well respected and adored by the public. Ukraine is also home to one of the youngest grandmasters in chess, Ihor Samunenkov who recently achieved the grandmaster title at the age of 14 making him one of the youngest chess players to achieve the grandmasters title in history.
Why Germany Is One of The Most Famous Chess Hotspots
Germany has a long and interesting history with chess, and it is estimated that chess has been played in Germany for around a thousand years. The village of Strobeck in Germany also known as the chess village is one of the first and most prominent chess hotspots in Germany which has a legend that explains how and why chess became so popular in the village. According to the legend in the 11th century Gunzelin of Kuckenburg, the military commander (Margrave) of Meissen was imprisoned by Bishop Arnulf of Halberstadt possibly due to political conflicts and was sent to the Wartturm tower in Strobeck. Bishop Arnulf of Halberstadt ordered the local farmers of Strobeck to guard Gunzelin of Kuckenburg over the course of his imprisonment. To pass time Gunzelin of Kuckenburg created a chess board set and taught the local farmers, his prison guards how to play chess and chess has continued to be one of the most popular board games in Strobeck ever since. The first documented evidence of chess in Germany was mentioned in a deed from 1515, throughout Germany however during the 11th century and up until the 16th century chess was scarcely played by anyone apart from the nobility and high-ranking members of the church. The Strobeck tradition of playing chess has been mentioned in German literature from the 17th century to the 20th century such as “Chess or the King’s Game” written by Duke Augustus II of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel under the alias Gustavus Selenus in 1616 and “A History of Chess” written by H.J.R Murray in 1913. Frederick William the Elector of Brandenburg awarded a chess board to the townspeople of Strobeck for their mastery of chess in 1651 which is currently being preserved in a local museum. Chess is such an integral part of the culture in Strobeck, so much so that during World War 1 when the townspeople of Strobeck issued their own currency, the Notgeld, it featured images of chess boards.
Germany is currently home to 96 of the world’s most famous grandmasters in chess which makes it the third country after Russia and the United States with the highest number of chess grandmasters in the world. Germany is also the birthplace of the second and longest reigning world chess champion in the history of chess, Emmanuel Lasker who is still considered to be one of the greatest chess players in history to this day. Germany has also produced numerous top tier chess players with some of the most famous being players such as Adolf Anderssen, Max Lange, Johannes Hermann, Elisabeth Pahtz, David Baramidze, Klaus Bischoff, Jan Gustafsson, Eric Lobron, Rustem Dautov, Rainer Knaak, Igor Khenkin, Robert Hubner, and Vincent Keymer. Some of the most prestigious international chess tournaments are held annually in Germany such as the Grenke Chess Classic, the Mitropa Cup, and the Dortmund Sparkassen Chess Meeting. Numerous national chess tournaments also take place annually in Germany such as the Chess Bundesliga, the German Chess Championships, the German Junior Chess Championships, the German Women’s Chess Championships, and the German Senior Chess Championships. The German Chess Federation is one of the largest national chess federations in the world which has over 90,000 members in over 2500 chess clubs. The popularity of chess in Germany is continually increasing and over the past ten years it has risen by 17% according to a YouGov survey conducted in association with WorldChess, the international chess gaming and entertainment company and it.com Domains.
Conclusion
Chess has a deep history with many countries across the planet and with time these countries have developed a strong relationship with the board game. The influence that chess has had on many cultures is profound and has been the catalyst for many of these countries finding fame, fortune and recognition. Chess has a large worldwide fan base and millions of people around the world are familiar with the game The places with the highest concentration of people with a fondness of chess tends to be the places you would consider a chess hotspot.
The most famous of the countries listed would have to be shared jointly between countries like Russia and India for various reasons. The interest in the sport of chess can be driven by many different factors. The fact that Russia has been the home to many of the world’s chess champions for many years and have been able to hold that title has undoubtedly stamped a badge of recognition on the Russians unmatched strength in chess.
What makes a country a chess hotspot is dependent upon many factors. The country home to the chess world champion will have an impact on this status but the historical importance of places like India will always be appreciated by fans of chess worldwide and India will continue to be a chess hotspot because of this.
