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Quiz about Peculiarities of Chess Grandmasters
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.
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Author
exit0
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
52,023
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
4 / 10
Plays
1289
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. What do Bobby Fischer, Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond have in common? Hint


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


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


Question 4 of 10
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


Question 5 of 10
5. Wilhelm Steinitz (World Champion 1886-1894) was said to suffer delusions later in life and died penniless. He Hint


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


Question 7 of 10
7. There were a number of strong players who met untimely deaths. How did Alexander Zaitsev die? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Garry Kasparov changed his last name. What was it previously? Hint


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


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



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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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