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High-stakes chess comes to the Twin Cities (Minnesota Public Radio)

Thousands of chess players from all over the world have gathered at the Minneapolis Convention Center for a chess tournament this weekend.

The HB Foundation Global Chess Challenge is being billed as the richest and largest open chess tournament ever. Players are vying for part of a $500,000 purse.

Maurice Ashley is one of the organizers of the tournament. He is the first, and only, African-American chess grandmaster.

Outdoor chess comes to East Falls (Roxborough Review)

In New York City's Central Park there is a pentagon-shaped pavilion covered in wisteria known as the Chess and Checkers House. The pavilion is filled with heavy concrete chess tables that are often occupied by shrewd chess players contemplating their next move. This spot in Central Park is a haven for people looking to escape the city for the quiet, intellectual experience known to the game of chess.

Philadelphia now boasts a similar escape, albeit on a much smaller scale.

On May 14, two chess tables were dedicated at Inyard Park in East Falls. The thick concrete slabs with tile chessboards on top have been installed to provide members of the community a venue to play chess.

Financiers Put Money on Chess Futures Now (New York Times)

Al Blowers learned to play chess in his 20's from his future father-in-law, Dal Stauffer. He never became very good, but he respected the game and found that the skills needed to play chess helped him to run his business.

Now, years later, Mr. Blowers, 63, who made millions by selling his company, Tax System Services, a payroll-processing business, is giving back to chess in a way that helps other players. His organization, the HB Foundation, started six years ago to promote scholastic chess, is sponsoring the largest open tournament ever held in the United States this week in Minneapolis.

The total prize fund is $500,000. About 1,600 players are competing in the tournament, the HB Global Chess Challenge, which began Wednesday and ends tomorrow. For years, professional chess players have complained that there has not been enough financial support for high-level chess in the United States.

Do you know of an interesting, humorous, or unique chess story published online? E-mail us at newsletter@uschess.org.