Historical Documents

The chess collectors will be happy to find in one place a compilation of the world champions’, women world champions, and the FIDE president’s signatures.

The 1958 FIDE Interzonal, held in Portorož, Slovenia, determined six qualifiers for the Candidates Tournament. Mikhail Tal won the event, while Bobby Fischer made his debut in the World Championship cycle. Today, Oscar Panno—who recently celebrated his 91st birthday—is the only surviving participant and the world’s oldest grandmaster.

Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) was a French American artist, chess player, and inventor who played a key role in the development of the avant-garde in the United State s. As a player, he was known as an author, a participant in a few French chess championships, and in a couple of Olympiads with the national team. One of his chess legacies is the poster of the 1925 French chess championship.

By the end of 1938, the American chess master Reuben Fine (1914-1993) was undoubtedly among the world’s strongest players. Eight years later, after World War II, he was invited to participate in the World Chess Championship Tournament. However, for professional reasons, he declined the invitation and thereby missed what may have been his only chance to become World Chess Champion.

After Alekhine won the World Chess Championship in 1927, his opponent and former world champion Capablanca tried on a few occasions to challenge the new champion but never succeeded in reaching a deal.