World Chess Hall of Fame exhibit on Fischer vs Spassky

[Hans Jung]

https://en.chessbase.com/post/world-...s-championship An exhibit worth visiting.

[Aris Marghetis]

https://en.chessbase.com/post/world-...s-championship An exhibit worth visiting.

I'll be there in a couple of weeks, I'll report back.

[Hans Jung]

Love to hear your report. Cant wait.

[Aris Marghetis]

Hi Hans et al, I got into St.Louis late last night, and I visited the Fischer-Spassky exhibit this morning.
As I was a young boy at the time of Fischer's ascension, this stirred a lot of moving memories for me!

It's so well done, it includes so many interesting original pieces of memorabilia, and you get to take home a custom booklet, replica posters, etc.. The exhibit is spread out over 3 floors (one floor each per: histories before the match, the match itself, histories after the match) - and words just cannot do justice to the "chess neighbourhood" they keep growing around that part of St.Louis!!

The exhibit is opening now, and will be open to the end of April, but I think you should consider visiting it twice, let me explain. Right now, they already have a complete exhibit. But I heard Boris Spassky's son just contacted them, and offered to loan more memorabilia. I also heard that the STL club sent three people to Europe to start the process. Anyway, it's hard to predict such things, but I'm thinking if there's lots of new Spassky content, maybe some current content may be temporarily replaced? That's why I'd consider visiting both before and after new Spassky content.

If you would like more info on STL chess, I'll try to reply when I'm not Arbiter-ing, but I'm also enjoying myself here as a player/fan!!

[Hans Jung]

Which event are you arbiting? and will you be spending time with Tony Rich? - if so good for you.

[Hans Jung]

Working at the World Chess Hall of Fame is a job I would like, even ushering. A trip to Europe (or anywhere in the world for that matter) to pick up chess historic items on behalf of the WCHOF sounds intriguing. I remember an hour long conversation with one of the ushers/guides at one of the exhibits. He was a tournament player but very outgoing and knowledgeable and really enjoyed what he was doing - in fact it was a dream job. It was a previous exhibit on Fischer and I shared stories of my cousin and Bobby Fischer and my Texas Adventures and in turn he told me a lot of interesting details of the local St Louis scene and about how they went about setting up the exhibit.

[Aris Marghetis]

Which event are you arbiting? and will you be spending time with Tony Rich? - if so good for you.

Hi Hans, yes, I'm part of the St.Louis Rapid & Blitz (part of GCT, the Grand Chess Tour)

And yes, Tony Rich is a superb person to hang out with, always doing best for players!!

[Aris Marghetis]

Working at the World Chess Hall of Fame is a job I would like, even ushering. A trip to Europe (or anywhere in the world for that matter) to pick up chess historic items on behalf of the WCHOF sounds intriguing. I remember an hour long conversation with one of the ushers/guides at one of the exhibits. He was a tournament player but very outgoing and knowledgeable and really enjoyed what he was doing - in fact it was a dream job. It was a previous exhibit on Fischer and I shared stories of my cousin and Bobby Fischer and my Texas Adventures and in turn he told me a lot of interesting details of the local St Louis scene and about how they went about setting up the exhibit.

I've also had great conversations with so many people here! Everyone seems so happy to work within any of the chess enterprises here! Like I was having breakfast at the Kingside Diner, and during their break, two busboys pulled out a ready table for a quick blitz game! I don't know if words can describe just how cool this chess mecca is! Taking a step back, as a former manager, I've noticed that one of their great approaches is having ENOUGH people! So when someone gets a task, they won't get pulled three other ways before getting to fulfill that task! Simple and brilliant!

[Hans Jung]

I so envy you. I'll have to go back soon.
The folks at the Kingside Diner are indeed special. I have special needs at breakfast and they bent over backwards to accommodate me and they serve a full jug of coffee. I remember I decided to drink the full jug and take my time so after breakfast I went to the far corner where Rex keeps his personal collection of chess books and there were some amazingly interesting ones. I selected a few and spent all morning reading them and drinking coffee until they kicked me out (but they were very nice about it)

[Aris Marghetis]

I so envy you. I'll have to go back soon.
The folks at the Kingside Diner are indeed special. I have special needs at breakfast and they bent over backwards to accommodate me and they serve a full jug of coffee. I remember I decided to drink the full jug and take my time so after breakfast I went to the far corner where Rex keeps his personal collection of chess books and there were some amazingly interesting ones. I selected a few and spent all morning reading them and drinking coffee until they kicked me out (but they were very nice about it)

Just now, there's LOTS of renovating going on, down the whole block, maybe best to wait a little while. I'll ask around when.

[Hans Jung]

Thats exciting. How big is it going to be? I hear its going to be huge - at least half a block.

[Aris Marghetis]

Thats exciting. How big is it going to be? I hear its going to be huge - at least half a block.

I don't know yet, still managing to get my bearings lol

But I know they've bought much surrounding property!

Was running in Forest Park this morning, just stunning!

[Hans Jung]

You discovered Forest Park! - it just goes on and on! It took me four trips to discover most of it but I still havent seen all of it. (I have seen the Zoo and the art museum (absolutely fabulous!), the science museum, the state museum, the skating rink, the outdoor chess tables, the amazing horticultural museums, the ruined palaces, the well stocked fish ponds, the historical buildings (several), the amazing golf courses, and the tourist information center and cafe (wonderfully friendly volunteers) and the theatre and boat house.)

[Hans Jung]

My favorite walk in the morning was to grab a coffee at the Starbucks across from the club (if the Kingside Diner wasnt open) and walk down the block to the gates then left one block and diagonally across the main interection and the park starts. Then across the old pedestrian bridge and thru the old trees (tree collection from around the world) left beside the pond to the outdoor chess tables - a distance of half a mile. Then from the outdoor chess tables to the visitor info center, another mile, and there I could replenish my coffee and have some good chats.

[Aris Marghetis]

You discovered Forest Park! - it just goes on and on! It took me four trips to discover most of it but I still havent seen all of it. (I have seen the Zoo and the art museum (absolutely fabulous!), the science museum, the state museum, the skating rink, the outdoor chess tables, the amazing horticultural museums, the ruined palaces, the well stocked fish ponds, the historical buildings (several), the amazing golf courses, and the tourist information center and cafe (wonderfully friendly volunteers) and the theatre and boat house.)

Oh yeah, I've been in there twice for an extended time, first the whole thing in a big diagonal from the corner nearest the chess club to the furthest corner from it, near the JFK memorial park.

Today, I followed the gravel outer path (almost 6 miles), and it was FUNNY all the surprises I ran into, like the golf course, back of the zoo, forestry department, huge baseball diamonds, etc.

Lotta rain this evening, hope to go again tomorrow.