
Chess News
If you happen to be in Paris and are passionate about chess, there’s no better place to enjoy the game, either as a player or as a spectator, than at the Jardin du Luxembourg.
During the summer, on average, more than 25 players match wits daily in the 17th century park that is located in the tres chic 6th arrondissement of the French capital.
Twenty years ago, the French senate decided to provide a dozen tables — five fixed, seven mobile — with chess boards painted on the surface using screen printing technique. These table tops are made of enamelled lava stones that were extracted from the volcanic mountains in the Auvergne region of central France.
Volcanic rock from the Auvergne region
Everyone is welcome
The table tops are large to accommodate chess clocks adjacent to the boards whose squares are alternately painted in sepia and white.
Almost everyone here plays blitz chess, with the 3-minute time control being the most popular. These fast paced encounters demand a certain skill set from players who have to constantly think on their feet.
This format guarantees entertaining chess as pieces tumble and clocks take severe pounding as the two rivals try to make the best moves by using least time.
While many games are decided by the clock, there are some that produce a checkmate like this one, played on Sunday, July 14th (Bastille Day!), between 1900-2000 Elo rated players, which you can watch in real-time below. White delivered checkmate with just two seconds left on his clock!
These chess tables are located in a corner of a huge garden that spreads over an area of 25 hectares. The garden boasts a host of other attractions, so it's suitable for a visit by anyone.
(Left) Statues in Luxembourg park depict French queens | (Right) Author Stefan Zweig
There are new initiatives to help players and fans alike find chess destinations wherever they are. The European Chess Union has launched ChessWhere.com, which is focused on Europe but has aspirations to expand.
ECU is pleased to announce the new web-based project https://t.co/m2slxmpc85. An online platform & #Google maps application which presents the main Chess Locations in #Europe and later in all world, as federations, museums, historical places, clubs, pubs & cafes. @FIDE_chess pic.twitter.com/xsXOdEnS1b
— European Chess Union (@ECUonline) June 20, 2019
At the moment, the chess tables at Jardin du Luxembourg are not on the ChessWhere map, but you can find them on the recently re-branded Chess Map app (formerly Le Chess Connection) for iOS.
A growing catalogue of chess tourist destinations, courtesy Chess Map