Chess became popular in New York City in the 1800s. The first American Chess Congress was held in 1857 on the site of what would become the Wanamaker’s Department Store, followed by the first Chess World Championship in 1886. Lectures and free chess sets are available Thursday through Sunday at the Chess and Checkers House in Central Park, along with outdoor games at Bryant Park, Union Square, and Washington Square Park.
I always thought it was normal for everyone to play chess. I used to carry around a portable chess set and play with anyone who was interested. I owned one of the first personal computerized chess sets sold by Radio Shack in the 1980s. After I made a move, the system would beep and lights would indicate the square where I needed to move a piece for my opponent.
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Works Cited
“Chess and Checkers House.” Central Park Conservancy, www.centralparknyc.org/locations/chess-checkers-house.
Green, Nathaniel. “All the World Chess Champions.” Chess.com, 20 Nov. 2023, https://www.chess.com/article/view/world-chess-champions
Soltis, Andrew E. “Chess | Game, Setup, Board, and Pieces.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Nov. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/chess/History.
The First American Chess Congress. www.edochess.ca/batgirl/morphybio4.html.
