an unusual topic

Today’s topic is a bit unusual. I will not talk about strategy, tactics, endgames, middle games, psychology and any other chess related things. However I will still talk about chess. Here are some facts about the game of chess which not many chess players may be aware of. These are little, fundamental ideas behind the game of chess, from the chess history to the longest game possible. This chess information should help you to improve your theory of the game.

So, 20 facts about chess:

1. The number of possible unique chess games is much greater than the number of electrons in the universe. The number of electrons is estimated to be about 10^79, while the number of unique chess games is 10^120.

2. The longest chess game theoretically possible is 5,949 moves.

3. The longest time for a Castling move to take place was the match game between Bobotsor vs. Irkov in 1966: 46. 0-0.

4. As late as 1561, Castling was two moves. You had to play R-KB1 on one move and K-KN1 on the next move.

5. The word “Checkmate” in Chess comes from the Persian phrase “Shah Mat,” which means “the King is dead.”

6. Blathy, Otto (1860-1939), credited for creating the longest Chess Problem, mate in 290 moves.

7. The Police raided a Chess Tournament in Cleveland in 1973, arrested the Tournament director and confiscated the Chess sets on charges of allowing gambling (cash prizes to winners) and possession of gambling devices (the Chess sets).

8. The number of possibilities of a Knight’s tour is over 122 million.

9. The longest official chess game lasted 269 moves (I. Nikolic – Arsovic, Belgrade 1989) and ended in a draw.

10. From the starting position, there are eight different ways to Mate in two moves and 355 different ways to Mate in three moves.

11. The new Pawn move, advancing two squares on its first move instead of one, was first introduced in Spain in 1280.

12. Dr. Emanuel Lasker from Germany retained the World Chess Champion title for more time than any other player ever: 26 years and 337 days.

13. In 1985, the Soviet player Garry Kasparov became the youngest World Chess Champion ever at the age of 22 years and 210 days.

14. The first Chessboard with alternating light and dark squares appears in Europe in 1090.

15. During World War II, some of the top Chess players were also code breakers. British masters Harry Golombek, Stuart Milner-Barry and H. O’D. Alexander was on the team which broke the Nazi Enigma code.

Clarification:

The Polish scientists Marian Rejewski, Henryk Zygalski, Jerzy Rozyckibroke the pre-war Enigma code machines, in 1932. Then after the war broke out, the Polish sent the information they’d learned to the British ( chess masters Harry Golombek, Stuart Milner-Barry and H. O’D. Alexander) who then deciphered the new German war Enigma machines.

16. During the 1972 Fischer-Spassky match in Rekjavik, the Russians linked Spassky’s erratic play with Fischer’s chair. The Icelandic organization put a 24-hour Police guard around the chair while chemical and x-ray tests were performed on the chair. Nothing unusual was found.

17. The first mechanical Chess Clock was invented by Thomas Wilson in 1883. Prior to that, Sandglasses were used. Sandglasses were first used in London in 1862. The present day push-button Clock was first perfected by Veenhoff in 1900.

18. The folding Chess board was originally invented in 1125 by a Chess-playing priest. Since the Church forbids priests to play Chess, he hid his Chess board by making one that looked simply like two books lying together.

19. The worst performance by a player was Macleod of Canada who lost 31 games in the New York double-round robin of 1889.

20. Frank Marshall (1877-1944) was the first American to defeat a Soviet player in an international tournament in New York, 1924. He reigned as U.S. Champion for 30 years, but only defended his title once when he defeated Ed Lasker (5-4) in 1923. He was the first master to play more than 100 games simultaneously.

Interesting facts didn't now quite a few of them. 

Thanks!