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Quiz about Peculiarities of Chess Grandmasters

Peculiarities of Chess Grandmasters Quiz

Chess Grandmasters are brilliant at chess but they also have a few foibles, some bordering on the bizarre. Have a look at these.

A multiple-choice quiz by exit0. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
exit0

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
52,023

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
4 / 10

Plays
1290

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What do Bobby Fischer, Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond have in common? Hint

They share the same birth date

They all have sisters of the same name

They all have science degrees

They went to the same school

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Question 2 of 10

2. Most people know that former World Champion Anatoly Karpov has a vast collection of stamps. What other hobby did he have prior to this? Hint

Morris dancing

Badge collecting

Whittling

Weather watching

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Question 3 of 10

3. Alexander Alekhine loved cats. He was often seen at tournaments with either a cat, or cat motifs on his jumpers etc. When he took a cat to a tournament what did it do? Hint

It sat in his lap

It rubbed up against his opponent's leg to distract

It sat on his opponent's chair

It walked on the board

4. Harry Nelson Pillsbury was a remarkable player at the turn of the 20th century. He would play up to 22 simultaneous games of chess and checkers, blindfolded, whilst playing which other game? Hint

Backgammon

Whist

Poker

Bridge

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Question 5 of 10

5. Wilhelm Steinitz (World Champion 1886-1894) was said to suffer delusions later in life and died penniless. He Hint

Challenged God to a game giving Him a pawn start (and occasionally beating Him)

Said he could speak by telephone without using an instrument

Believed he could move chess pieces through mental telepathy

All of these

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Question 6 of 10

6. Emmanuel Lasker (World Champion 1894-1921) once tried to breed pigeons to compete in poultry shows. Why was he unsuccessful? Hint

He fed them the wrong food

They were all male

They kept flying away

They wouldn't sit on the eggs

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Question 7 of 10

7. There were a number of strong players who met untimely deaths. How did Alexander Zaitsev die? Hint

Died in his sleep from a leak in a faulty gas pipe connection

Died of a stroke while taking a cold bath

Died of thrombosis after a minor operation to have one leg lengthened

Died of syphilis

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Question 8 of 10

8. Garry Kasparov changed his last name. What was it previously? Hint

Goldberg

Weinstein

Trivianov

Ivanov

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Question 9 of 10

9. Who, after losing a game of chess jumped up on the table and yelled, 'Why must I lose to this idiot?' Hint

Bobby Fischer

Aron Nimzovich

Rustam Kamsky

Viktor Korchnoi

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Question 10 of 10

10. Top Grandmaster Judit Polgar was married in 2001. What was her husband's profession? Hint

Doctor

Veterinarian

Dentist

Chess coach

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What do Bobby Fischer, Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond have in common?

Answer: They went to the same school

They all went to Erasmus High School, Brooklyn. Barbra is said to have had a 'crush' on Bobby and they used to swap 'MAD' comics.

2. Most people know that former World Champion Anatoly Karpov has a vast collection of stamps. What other hobby did he have prior to this?

Answer: Badge collecting

He is believed to have over 400,000 stamps in his collection.

3. Alexander Alekhine loved cats. He was often seen at tournaments with either a cat, or cat motifs on his jumpers etc. When he took a cat to a tournament what did it do?

Answer: It walked on the board

He believed it brought him good luck by having the cat walk over the squares before the game started.

4. Harry Nelson Pillsbury was a remarkable player at the turn of the 20th century. He would play up to 22 simultaneous games of chess and checkers, blindfolded, whilst playing which other game?

Answer: Whist

He also asked his audience for a list of 30 complicated words and he would repeat them at the end of the display and then in reverse order. The next day he would also be able to repeat them. He died of syphilis a few years later.

5. Wilhelm Steinitz (World Champion 1886-1894) was said to suffer delusions later in life and died penniless. He

Answer: All of these

He also imagined he could draw energy from the earth and emit electrical currents. Mind you, he could still play a mean game of chess.

6. Emmanuel Lasker (World Champion 1894-1921) once tried to breed pigeons to compete in poultry shows. Why was he unsuccessful?

Answer: They were all male

No wonder! Apart from believing that Tarrasch had hypnotic powers and wanted to play him in a separate room, he also married a woman who was a grandmother and became a father, husband and grandfather at once. His Ph.D dissertation on ideal numbers became a cornerstone of 20th century algebra.

7. There were a number of strong players who met untimely deaths. How did Alexander Zaitsev die?

Answer: Died of thrombosis after a minor operation to have one leg lengthened

Harry Pillsbury died of syphilis, Paul Morphy had the stroke and Frederick Yates died in his sleep.

8. Garry Kasparov changed his last name. What was it previously?

Answer: Weinstein

Garry's father died when he was seven and he took his mother's name Klara Kasparova at the age of 12.

9. Who, after losing a game of chess jumped up on the table and yelled, 'Why must I lose to this idiot?'

Answer: Aron Nimzovich

He also had a business card which read, 'A. Nimzovich: Candidate for the World Championship of Chess and Crown Prince of the Chess World.' He also stood on his head, and once, broke a leg in a tournament. N.B. Rustam Kamsky is Gata Kamsky's very volatile father who doesn't play chess who was often evicted from tournaments. Gata Kamsky retired from chess and pursued a career in the medical profession.

10. Top Grandmaster Judit Polgar was married in 2001. What was her husband's profession?

Answer: Veterinarian

His name is Gustav Fonts. The wedding was a very private affair with no photographs for the media. GM Jan Timman was the only person of the chess fraternity to receive an invitation.

Source: Author exit0

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