> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Library celebration honors city’s history with game of chess - URL: https://www.smdp.com/library-celebration-honors-citys-history-with-game-of-chess/ - Published: 2007-11-08T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T03:51:46.000Z - Author: Melody Hanatani - Tags: Sports, Santa Monica, #archive-import *Chess Park a place to learn* CITYWIDE Long before the famous 1972 match-up between chess legends Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky, the two squared off in a relatively unknown first meeting in Santa Monica. It was the summer of 1966 and Fischer and Spassky came face-to-face for the first time in what was known as the Second Piatigorsky Cup, a chess tournament — named after top female chess player Jacqueline Piatigorsky — held in the Fairmont Miramar Hotel. Then 23 years old, Fischer came in second place in the tournament after losing one game to Spassky and tying the second. It would be six years before the two would do battle in what is known as the most famous chess matches in history, Fischer defeating Spassky in the world championships in Iceland and becoming the first American to win the title, ending more than three decades of Soviet dominance. Their meeting in Santa Monica is indicative of the strong chess culture in the seaside city. A strong chess culture is said to exist in the city, from clubs dedicated to the problem-solving game to chess programs at the library to the popular Chess Park situated near Santa Monica Beach. In a city known for surfing and shopping, chess has similarly made a case for favorite pastime. The Santa Monica Public Library is in the middle of hosting a week-long celebration dedicated to the age-old board game with nearly daily events — including tournaments and youth and family lessons — all leading up to a highly-anticipated demonstration with grand chess master Var Akobian. Akobian, 23, is ranked as the top chess player in the state and will play against 20 challengers simultaneously at the Fairview Branch Library on Saturday. The “Got Chess” event is the first week-long celebration the library program has hosted. Akobian also performed a demonstration last year. “This year, we decided to build around the week preceding his appearance,”said Mel Bloch, the director of the chess program. The program brings so-called chess masters and experts together with novices, offering free lessons twice a week at the Fairview Branch and Ocean Park Branch libraries. In the past three years since the program’s inception, more than 30,000 lessons have been given. The instructors range in ages from high school teenagers to veterans that have been playing the game for decades. Santa Monica resident Bill Lasley, who has played chess seriously since moving to the west coast in the 1980s, teaches lessons at Grant Elementary School, St. Monica and Fairview Library. > “Santa Monica is (known) as a chess aficionado worldwide,” — said Pete Savino, the president of the Santa Monica Bay Chess Club The game has long been derided as a nerdy type of activity, played by intellectuals and social outcasts fashioning pocket protectors. With a heavy problem-solving component, chess has been proven to improve math and science skills among young students that frequently play the game. “In preparing children for the information age, there is nothing like giving them the experience of reading a book or doing chess problems and letting them apply the knowledge and see it work in the real world,” Lasley said. HIP TO BE SQUARE Despite its less-than-hip label, chess has actually experienced a surge in popularity, buoyed by the accessibility and convenience of the game through the Internet. Yet, while popularity for the activity has grown, membership in local chess clubs has dropped dramatically. The 50-year-old Santa Monica Bay Chess Club is one of the oldest clubs in the state. With about 30 members, the chess club meets at St. Andrew’s Church on National Boulevard in West Los Angeles. The club used to meet at the senior center in Santa Monica. While the Internet has had a prominent role in the resurgence of chess, playing online lacks some advantages available in face-to-face play, including reading the opponent’s faces and sensing their mood. “You cannot read them psychologically, which is part of the game too,” Savino said. Just south of the Santa Monica Pier, a group of men watched a chess match unfold Wednesday afternoon, the waves crashing in the background. With picnic tables with bolted-in metal chess boards and a large life-size chess board with equally large pieces, the Chess Park has attracted a steady stream of loyal followers over the years. “It’s a Westside Mecca for chess players,” Savino said. The park is at its busiest on the weekends, when tourists come take a break from the Santa Monica Pier, bicyclists veer off the path to watch a chess match or two. The park, especially the large chess set, is popular with families. Many regulars have been playing at the park for years and refer to each other by their nicknames, such as “Fast Eddie,” who moves his men at the blink of an eye. The players come from all walks of life, such as one chess player who survived the Auschwitz death camp. The park is known as a place where beginners can easily tap the shoulder of a master sitting next to them and ask for assistance. “People come from across the country, across the world,” said one player who identified himself as “Download,” because he can frequently be seen on his laptop. “One thing that unites them all is that they’re chess players.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/110807-08_01.jpg) EYES ON THE PRIZE: A man plays a game of chess at the Chess Park on Ocean Front Walk. (Photo: Photo courtesy Alejandro Cantarero) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/110807-08_02.jpg) PAWN: City’s chess history goes way back. (Photo: Photo courtesy) *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 8, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/110807.pdf?ref=smdp.com)