Chess Trivia

Edmondson, Ed (1920-1982)
Former president (1963) and executive director (1967-1977) of the U.S. Chess Federation. He suffered a heart attack while playing chess on the beach at Waikiki. The Edmondson trophy goes to the winner of the National Open. He was an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and navigator who retired after 23 years of service. He was the President of the Texas Chess Association in the early 1960s.

Edward I (1239-1307)
King of England. In 1270 he was playing chess against a soldier in a room with a tiled roof. He had just left his chair when suddenly an immense rock fell on the very spot where he had been sitting.

EG
First endgame magazine devoted to chess endgames and studies, first published in 1965 and founded by A. J. Roycroft.

Egypt
Chess was introduced in Egypt by the Sasanian king, Khusrau II in 620.

Einsiedeln Verses
The earlies known literary account of chess and the earliest reference to chess in a western document. It was written in the 10th century in the monastery at Einsiedeln, Switzerland. It is a 98-line poem describing chess.

Einstein, Albert
Albert Einstein was a good friend of World Chess Champion Emanual Lasker. In an interview with the New York Times in 1936 Albert said, "I do not play any games. There is no time for it. When I get through work I don't want anything which requires the working of the mind." He did take up chess in his later life.

Elo, Arpad (1903-1992)
Played in 37 consecutive state championships in Wisconsin, from 1933 to 1969, winning the title 8 times. He was a professor of physics and President of the American Chess Federation (1935-37) before it merged and came part of the U.S. Chess Federation. He developed the ELO rating system, which was adopted by the US Chess Federation in 1960 and the World Chess Federation (FIDE) in 1970.

Endgame
The maximum number of moves required to deliver mate from the worst possible starting position are as follows: Rook and Bishop vs. two Knights - 223 moves; Queen vs. two Bishops - 71 moves; Queen and Rook vs. Queen - 67 moves; two Bishops vs. Knight - 66 moves; Queen vs. two Knights - 63 moves; Rook and Bishop vs. Rook - 59 moves.

Endgame miniature
Endgame composed of no more than 7 pieces.

En passant
First used in the 15th century but not universially accepted until 1880.

Eon de Beaumont, Charles D' (1728-1810)
French chessplayer and male transvestite who was a diplomat for Louis XV. He once beat Philidor. His name has become a psychiatric term (eonism) for males who adopt feminine mannerisms and clothing.

Erasmus High School
High school that Bobby Fischer, Walter Browne and Barbra Streisand attended. Barbra attended Erasmus at the same time as Bobby and once "had a crush" on him. Bobby dropped out at age 16 saying, "teachers are all jerks."

Euwe, Max (1901-1981)
Twice world champion - 1935-37 and for 1 day in 1947. In 1947, the FIDE Congress voted for Euwe to be world champion since Alekhine died. However, the Soviet delegation, which joined FIDE in 1947, was late one day for this vote. They showed up the next day and had the title rescinded in favor of a match-tournament. He was once the former amateur heavyweight boxing champion of Europe. In the world championship match-tournament in 1948, Euwe wore gloves while playing his games. When he was asked why, he said the feeling of gloves on his hands psychologically induced in him a fighting spirit.

Evans, Larry (1932- )
Learned chess from his older brother at age five. His brother was later killed in action as a bomber crew member during World War II. Best Blackjack player of any Grandmaster. He lives in Reno, Nevada. He has won the U.S. championship four times. In 1951, at age 19, he was the U.S. Open Champion, the U.S. Closed Champion, and the U.S. Speed Champion. Evans once gave a simultaneous exhibition at an insane asylum, winning 39 and losing 1. When he went to congratulate the winner, the winner said, "You don't have to be crazy to play chess, but it sure helps!" He became a Grandmaster in 1957.

Evergreen game
A name given by Stienitz to the Anderssen-Dufresne game, Berlin, 1852, because of its beauty.

Excelsior theme
A Pawn that goes from its initial square to the promotion rank in 5 consecutive moves in the course of a solution.

Exchequer, Chancellor of the
British finance minister. The title came from counting out money on a chequer-board used for chess. In 1080 the Normans named their financial departments of State l'excheiquier after the chessboard, which was used as a form of abacus.

Executioner of Berlin
Nickname of Kurt Richter.

Exclamation point
The first exclamation point for a chess move appeared in game notes in Staunton's CHESS PLAYER'S CHRONICLE, and it designated a bad move.