Chess history trivia

[IM Jack Rudd]

Well, I'm going to assume that Chesham is named after the river, and so Buckinghamshire will be one of them.

[MJMcCready]

Well, I'm going to assume that Chesham is named after the river, and so Buckinghamshire will be one of them.

That is correct yes, there's even a building called the castle on it where they used to play chess. But which county does the river join a larger river in. Clue: John F. Kennedy used to visit it frequently in his youth as it passes by the (then) stately home he stayed in.

[John Upham]

Which counties have the river chess flowing through it?

My first guess would be to assume that there was a River Chess in Chess Valley (as opposed to Chad Valley) but only a guess.

Chess Valley is in Hertfordshire of course.

[MJMcCready]

Yes, it flows into Hertfordshire and joins the river Colne near Rickmansworth.

[MJMcCready]

In which of Shakespeare's play does he take the term stalemate and use it creatively as thus: 'it is your will to make a stale of me among these mates'?

[John Clarke]

The Taming Of The Shrew, Act I Scene 1.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Sincere apologies for slipping in a rather cryptic question but which noted chess historian had the following briefly inter-related in his life: the great depression, holy river & hound of the plain, a black horse, and a preference to shop at Sainsburys.

Did we ever get an answer for this one?

[MJMcCready]

No, okay clues:

Think decade
Think address
Think occupation

It's difficult to know what else to say without making the answer obvious, let's just say he's a well known character/englishman and leave it at that but if you were aware of his movements, certainly the clue regarding occupation probably gives it away.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Will have a think about that one!

Here is one from me.

Which father-son pairing served at the same time on a Cambridge college chess club? The father (one of the most famous scientists of the 20th century) was President of the chess club and his step-son was Honorary Treasurer.

[John Townsend]

Max Newman and Jonathan Penrose?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Good answer, but no.

[Pete Morriss]

In which of Shakespeare's play does he take the term stalemate and use it creatively as thus: 'it is your will to make a stale of me among these mates'?

According to the OED, the word 'stalemate' wasn't used before 1765 (in R. Lambe, History of Chess); prior to that, the term used was 'stale'. If that is correct (is it?) then Shakespeare could not have been punning on stalemate. The OED isn't sure of the etymology of the chess sense of 'stale'. But one of the very many other meanings it gives of the word is "A fixed position or station. to hold or keep (one's) stale [= Old French tenir (son) estal] : to maintain one's position in battle". Could that be the origin?

[MJMcCready]

In which of Shakespeare's play does he take the term stalemate and use it creatively as thus: 'it is your will to make a stale of me among these mates'?

According to the OED, the word 'stalemate' wasn't used before 1765 (in R. Lambe, History of Chess); prior to that, the term used was 'stale'. If that is correct (is it?) then Shakespeare could not have been punning on stalemate. The OED isn't sure of the etymology of the chess sense of 'stale'. But one of the very many other meanings it gives of the word is "A fixed position or station. to hold or keep (one's) stale [= Old French tenir (son) estal] : to maintain one's position in battle". Could that be the origin?

This is interesting. Thanks. I will not be back with my book collection for another 3 weeks, and so will get back to you then. I suspect you may well be right there but need to run one or two things down. OED is pretty damn reliable though. Not always but usually.

[MJMcCready]

Which former world champion was born in a place which is now part of Poland?

[IM Jack Rudd]

Lasker