İsmet İnonü (I think he was a Chess Master)
İsmet İnönü and Chess
I have already written a blog about İsmet İnönü, don't forget to read it before reading this one you can reach here
The year is 1972. The world is watching with bated breath as chess bad boy Fischer and gentleman Spassky battle for the World Championship. It's not just chess that's being played on the board; it's a kind of struggle between the American and the Russian way of life. The victorious player will not only become the World Champion, but also prove that his regime can create more intelligent people.
Chess lovers in Turkey are not indifferent to the "Chess Match of the Century". Among all chess lovers, one name has a very special place; this name is İsmet Pasha.
İsmet İnönü, the "National Chief", watched all the developments with excitement. After Fischer defeated his opponents Larsen and Taimanov with incredible scores of 6-0, he lost the first game almost suicidally. When he did not show up for the second game in protest against the camera noise, Fischer was 2-0 down at the start of the title match.
Deciding to quit the title fight, Fischer was persuaded at the last moment by the referee Lothar Schmidt to fight the third game. Playing against the blacks, Fischer won the game brilliantly. After 3 wins in the following games, Fischer managed to take a 4-2 lead at the end of the 8th game.
İsmet İnönü, who was staying at the Pempe Mansion in Maltepe during the title match, upon all these exciting developments, said to those around him, "Send a chess player to tell us what is going on," and added, "Bring a sane person."
Chess set gifted to İnönü by Stalin
İsmet İnönü, the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, paid an official visit to the USSR in 1932 in order to increase relations with the Soviet Union. The delegation headed by İnönü paid an official visit to Odessa, Moscow, Leningrad and Kharkov on April 25-May 10, 1932. İnönü also watched the May 1st military ceremony in Red Square together with the then USSR leader Josef Stalin. The chess set presented to İnönü by Stalin during this visit is on display in the Pink Pavilion where İnönü spent his life. The chess set given to İnönü by Stalin depicts the struggle between the Red Army and the White Army. While the pawns of the white army on one side of the chess set are chained, the pawns of the red army are holding a sickle. The king and queen of the Red Army represent the workers.
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