George R. R. Martin was Inspired by Chess
This is pretty cool. In an interview with SF Weekly, George R. R. Martin explains how there is a bit of chess in his epic fantasy series:
"The title of the first book, A Game of Thrones, made me think of a chess board when I heard it back in 1996. Did chess have an influence on the series?"
"The game of chess has had a huge influence on my life. I made my living through chess for a couple of years in the early '70s -- not playing it, but running chess tournaments. I was a tournament director during the whole big chess boom that followed Bobby Fischer playing Boris Spassky. I earned enough money doing that so that I didn't have to take a full-time job. I could just run chess tournaments and write. It really helped establish me as a writer. So I know a lot about chess. There's a very chess-like game in the Ice and Fire books, so that had a chess influence, too."
"The game of chess has had a huge influence on my life. I made my living through chess for a couple of years in the early '70s -- not playing it, but running chess tournaments. I was a tournament director during the whole big chess boom that followed Bobby Fischer playing Boris Spassky. I earned enough money doing that so that I didn't have to take a full-time job. I could just run chess tournaments and write. It really helped establish me as a writer. So I know a lot about chess. There's a very chess-like game in the Ice and Fire books, so that had a chess influence, too."
Such is the power of chess. 
Hmm...I wonder how long before someone creates a Westeros-themed chess set?
