The Gift of Chess

Notice to commercial publishers seeking use of images from this collection of chess-related archive blogs. For use of the many large color restorations, two conditions must be met: 1) It is YOUR responsibility to obtain written permissions for use from the current holders of rights over the original b/w photo. Then, 2) make a tax-deductible donation to The Gift of Chess in honor of Robert J. Fischer-Newspaper Archives. A donation in the amount of $250 USD or greater is requested for images above 2000 pixels and other special request items. For small images, such as for fair use on personal blogs, all credits must remain intact and a donation is still requested but negotiable. Please direct any photographs for restoration and special request (for best results, scanned and submitted at their highest possible resolution), including any additional questions to S. Mooney, at bobbynewspaperblogs•gmail. As highlighted in the ABC News feature, chess has numerous benefits for individuals, including enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, improving concentration and memory, and promoting social interaction and community building. Initiatives like The Gift of Chess have the potential to bring these benefits to a wider audience, particularly in areas where access to educational and recreational resources is limited.

Best of Chess Fischer Newspaper Archives
• Robert J. Fischer, 1955 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1956 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1957 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1958 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1959 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1960 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1961 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1962 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1963 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1964 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1965 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1966 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1967 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1968 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1969 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1970 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1971 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1972 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1973 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1974 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1975 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1976 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1977 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1978 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1979 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1980 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1981 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1982 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1983 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1984 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1985 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1986 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1987 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1988 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1989 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1990 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1991 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1992 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1993 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1994 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1995 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1996 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1997 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1998 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1999 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2000 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2001 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2002 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2003 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2004 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2005 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2006 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2007 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2008 bio + additional games
Chess Columns Additional Archives/Social Media

Mary Miriam Mariska (Weiser) Bain, 1973

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January 26 1973

Mary Bain, Queen of Chess Dies

Public Opinion, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Friday, January 26, 1973

By Glenn E. Beidel, Pres., South Penn Chess Club
Mary Weiser Bain, the first Queen of chess, died on October 26, 1972 in her N.Y.C. home. As an International Chess Master she has been U.S. champion, U.S. Open champion and U.S. representative in many chess Olympiads. Mary has titles from Cuba, Sweden and Finland, and is renown as a world traveler with her simultaneous exhibitions and chess lectures. Her greatest pride came in pioneering chess promotion and activity for the American woman and thus breaking down the socialized female reluctance towards chess.
This Hungarian pioneer was self-reliant, capable, self-confident, proud, strong, courageous, generous, understanding and dependable. Even after she married Leslie Bain (author, war correspondent and Hollywood director) in 1925, she continued her career with dignity and dedication. In 1951 Mary Bain swept the U.S. Championship undefeated. As a pupil of Frank Marshall and Hungarian IGM Geza Maroczy she was urged to compete for the World Chess title, but Mary declined because of her husband and family. After her husband died, she opened a duplicate-bridge club in N.Y.C. Mary Bain formally retired from tournament competition in 1968, but always threatened to enter “one more tournament.”


May 13 1973

Woman Chess Champion Mary Bain is Dead, But Name Lives On

The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky, Sunday, May 13, 1973

The King's Men: Woman Champion Mary Bain is Dead, But Name Lives On
By Merrill Dowden, Courier-Journal Chess Writer
Once upon a time, when Jose Raul Capablanca was champion of the world and he was giving a simultaneous exhibition, one of his opponents was Mary Bain. Players and spectators were stunned when Capablanca resigned after only 11 moves. Apologists for the Cuban pointed out he was playing at many boards at rapid tempo, and probably did not take his female opponent seriously. However, a win is a win. Here's the game, and you be the judge as to whether the champion was being gallant or was simply out-foxed.

Q—We have heard that the celebrated woman player, Mary Bain, is dead? Is this true? What titles did she hold?
A—I'm sorry to confirm the report. Mary Bain died in her home in New York City last Oct. 26. One of the relatively few women who have achieved the rank of international master, Mrs. Bain won so many trophies and titles you'd think they grew on trees. To mention a few of her major accomplishments, she was U.S. women's champion, U.S women's Open champion, and represented the United States in a number of Olympiads. Cuba, Finland and Sweden heaped honors upon her.
She gave simultaneous exhibitions from coast to coast, including one in Louisville some years ago, and gave chess lectures in many countries around the world.
Mrs. Bain probably did as much as any one person in making American women chess conscious, and some of her protégés themselves became famous.
A native of Hungary, she married American-born Leslie Bain, who was reared in nearby Budapest. They did not meet, though, until both settled in New York.
She learned to play chess in high school in Hungary, and was soon on her way to stardom. And now she is dead after a long and exciting career, but her name will live on, and she will be remembered as one of the great chess personalities of this century.


'til the world understands why Robert J. Fischer criticised the U.S./British and Russian military industry imperial alliance and their own Israeli Apartheid. Sarah Wilkinson explains:

Bobby Fischer, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech
What a sad story Fischer was,” typed a racist, pro-imperialist colonial troll who supports mega-corporation entities over human rights, police state policies & white supremacy.
To which I replied: “Really? I think he [Bob Fischer] stood up to the broken system of corruption and raised awareness! Whether on the Palestinian/Israel-British-U.S. Imperial Apartheid scam, the Bush wars of ‘7 countries in 5 years,’ illegally, unconstitutionally which constituted mass xenocide or his run in with police brutality in Pasadena, California-- right here in the U.S., police run rampant over the Constitution of the U.S., on oath they swore to uphold, but when Americans don't know the law, and the cops either don't know or worse, “don't care” -- then I think that's pretty darn “sad”. I think Mr. Fischer held out and fought the good fight, steadfast til the day he died, and may he Rest In Peace.
Educate yourself about U.S./State Laws --
https://www.youtube.com/@AuditTheAudit/videos
After which the troll posted a string of profanities, confirming there was never any genuine sentiment of “compassion” for Mr. Fischer, rather an intent to inflict further defamatory remarks.

This ongoing work is a tribute to the life and accomplishments of Robert “Bobby” Fischer who passionately loved and studied chess history. May his life continue to inspire many other future generations of chess enthusiasts and kibitzers, alike.

Robert J. Fischer, Kid Chess Wizard 1956March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008

The photograph of Bobby Fischer (above) from the March 02, 1956 The Tampa Times was discovered by Sharon Mooney (Bobby Fischer Newspaper Archive editor) on February 01, 2018 while gathering research materials for this ongoing newspaper archive project. Along with lost games now being translated into Algebraic notation and extractions from over two centuries of newspapers, it is but one of the many lost treasures to be found in the pages of old newspapers since our social media presence was first established November 11, 2017.

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