National Chess Day

A token announcement of National Chess Day the day before, a fitting reminder?

Maybe for someone who is selling expensive chess sets, but not for the organizers of the game across the United States…In 1976 organizers supposedly wanted to take the chess spotlight off Bobby Fischer, and on to the finer aspects of the game. They failed on what may be some day deemed a very selfish mission to cash in on the public versus giving everyone an opportunity to adopt an inexpensive hobby.

For the first time since the first NCD in 1976 a big factor has changed. Bobby Fischer died early in 2008. My research seems to indicate that the game (since 1976) has been more associated with Fischer and politics, than with sport, hobby or education…

I stopped writing about National Chess Day many years ago, as it seemed to have no interest among chess players, just politicians and those with a commercial interest…Bobby Fischer sure fueled and benefited such commercial interests. Too bad no one sought to give this back to others…

Chess Day should be on a fixed day of the week (or be designated as national chess week) that enables chess promoters to have activities on that day or week that will be interesting to gain the attention of the public, education community and even age groups (like people in senior facilities), with planning at least a year in advance to make sure there is maximum participation, especially with open house activities.

Is it the day to go out and buy a chess set or chess book? Wouldn’t it be better if it were the day or week that millions of people discovered the many local facets of this age-old game and not spend money, but time to find out if it was a worthwhile pastime?

Just displays in schools, libraries and businesses would do much (as from 1972 to 1975) to remind a new generation of the legacy of the game over thousands of years, and the innovations that have come along in just over three decades…

Sport, hobby or educational tool, the promoters of chess may not have agreed on the game’s promotion, but they have certainly not done enough to paint a picture or a menu of what the game has to offer…

Shouldn’t other chess players now chime in to suggest ways in which we could, should and reasonably would promote the game? There is no organized support for chess in education, just a political fight over who will get paid for boosting it. And, it takes a lot of effort to run a novice (quite different from scholastic) or true amateur competition when few have run such for decades.

National Chess Day Food for Thought, but don’t choke on your emotions…

Stephen Dann, Education & Volunteer coordinator for 2008-09, for http://www.masschess.org/.

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On October 9, 1976, President Gerald Ford, the nation’s thirty-eighth president, proclaimed that October 9th would henceforth be known as National Chess Day in the United States.

Interestingly, National Chess Day began in South Carolina. It was created by the late Bill Dodgen, who was President of the South Carolina Chess Association for a number of years. It was originally a state chess day in South Carolina, but Bill quickly expanded it to a nationwide effort, and was appointed National Chess Day Chairman. Bill’s idea was to encourage local and state chapters of the United States Chess Federation to organize events to bring in beginners and others who enjoyed the game of chess but had never played in an organized event.

As we approach that date, we at the House of Staunton encourage you to take a moment tomorrow and celebrate the wonderful game of Chess.

Happy National Chess Day!
Sincerely yours,
Frank A. Camaratta, Jr.

Special thanks to Mr. Frank Kolasinski for sending me these.