CHESMAYNE

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FMO

 First Move Option – FMO. 

Used in reference to the move of a mp.  

The 1^st move of a mp.  

See AOM [All Other Moves].

Firsts in chess - by Bill Wall

 500 1^st known form of chess, Chaturanga, originating in Northwest India.

 590 1^st written evidence of chess found in Sanskrit romance, ‘Vasavadatta’.

 600 1^st Persian writing of chess (chatrang) in the Persian romance, ‘Karnamuk’.

 620 1^st introduction of chess into Egypt, by Khusrau II.

 720 1^st literary references of chess in Arabic occur in romantic poems.

 735 1^st living chess played with people, in the Court of Charles Martel.

 786 1^st caliph of Islam, ar-Rashid, to play chess and grant pensions to players.

 790 1^st known chess piece of a carved King with Arabic inscription.

 802 1^st reference of a woman chess player, from an Islamic correspondence.

 810 1^st reference of chess among the Greeks, introduced to Nicephorus.

 820 1^st introduction of chess in Russia.

 840 1^st composed chess problem by the Caliph Billah of Baghdad.

 910 1^st analysis and published works of chess openings by al-Lajlaj.

1008 1^st European reference to chess in the will of Count Uregel.

1030 1^st reference to chess in German literature in the Latin poem, ‘Ruodlieb’.

1066 1^st introduction of chess in Britain during the Norman conquest.

1090 1^st chessboard of alternating light and dark squares.

1119 1^st correspondence game, by Henry I of England and Louis VI of France.

1120 1^st complete chess set still in existence, made in Iceland by the Vikings.

1150 1^st use of the Queen leap, the first modification of earlier chess laws.

1160 1^st chess poems written in Hebrew, by Ezra.

1061 1^st edict issued forbidding the clergy to play chess, by Cardinal Damiani.

1173 1^st use of algebraic notation, used in a French manuscript.

1180 1^st British reference to chess, a Latin poem written by a Winchester monk.

1190 1^st European reference to chess problems.

1262 1^st use of the Russian word for chess (shakmatny) found in literature.

1265 1^st blindfold play of chess in Europe, by the Muslim Buzecca in Florence.

1280 1^st new PA move, advancing 2 cells, is introduced.

1283 1^st historical source of information on chess, the Alfonso manuscript.

1422 1^st reference that stalemate is a draw, in the Cracow manuscript.

1425 1^st reference to chess as ‘the Royal Game’, by John Lydgate.

1471 1^st known work entirely devoted to modern chess, the Gottingen manuscript.

1472 1^st hardback chess book, ‘Dass Goldin Spil’, published in Augsburg.

1474 1^st chess book published in English, ‘the Game and Playe of Chesse’.

1485 1^st known game of modern chess, recorded by Catalan players in Barcelona.

1490 1^st use of the en passant rule.

1497 1^st European work on chess openings, by Lucena.

1512 1^st chess book published in Italy, by Damiano.

1517 1^st publication of analysis on the Sicilian Defense, by Sarratt.

1550 1^st chess club, organized in Italy.

1561 1^st use of the word gambit for chess sacrifices, by Ruy Lopez.

1574 1^st chess tournament, held at the Royal Court in Madrid.

1616 1^st German instruction book for chess players, by Selenus.

1641 1^st mention of chess in America, from a history of Dutch settlers.

1683 1^st time the word fianchetto is used for flank openings.

1690 1^st orderly classification of openings, in the ‘Traite de Luasanne’.

1706 1^st book on the KIs :&G, published by M Caze.

1715 1^st chess club in England, formed at Slaughter’s in London.

1735 1^st worthwhile English textbook on chess published, ‘Noble Game of chess’.

1744 1^st blindfold play against 2 opponents (Philidor in Paris).

1763 1^st use of Caissa, the Muse of Chess, in a poem by William Jones.

1769 1^st automation, the Turk, unveiled as a machine that played chess.

1786 1^st chess article in America, Benjamin Franklin’s ‘Morals of Chess’.

1791 1^st chess book published in Russia.

1795 1^st systematic treatise of chess in the German language, by Allgaier.

1802 1^st chess book published in America, ‘Chess Made Easy’ by J. Humphreys.

1804 1^st authenticate correspondence match, between the Hague and Breda.

1811 1^st time openings were printed in tabular form.

1813 1^st newspaper column on chess, appearing in the Liverpool Mercury (July 8).

1819 1^st book published with a diagram following every move.

1834 1^st over-the-board match of consequence, McDonnell-Labourdonnais.

1836 1^st chess magazine, La Palamade, edited by Labourdonnais of Paris.

1837 1^st book containing all the collection of opening variations then known.

1838 1^st use of the term ‘grand master’ in connection with chess.

1840 1^st chess magazine in the English language, ‘Chess Player’s Chronicle’.

1841 1^st chess association formed, the Yorkshire Chess Association.

1844 1^st chess match by telegraph, between Baltimore and Washington D.C.

1845 1^st chess pocket set, designed by Peter Roget [of Thesaurus fame].

1845 1^st American chess column, appearing in the ‘New York Spirit of the Times’. 

1846 1^st German chess magazine, ‘Deutsche Schachzeitung’, by Ludwig Bledow.

1848 1^st board and chessmen made especially for the blind.

1849 1^st time the word tournament applied to a chess tournament, in England.

1849 1^st Staunton chess set, designed by Nathaniel Cook.

1851 1^st international chess tournament, held in London (May 7 - July 15).

1852 1^st use of sandglasses as time devices for chess tournaments.

1854 1^st problem-solving contest, held in London.

1855 1^st Black American chessplayer of distinction, Theophilus Thompson, born.

1857 1^st national tournament in America, held in New York and won by Morphy.

1857 1^st U.S. chess periodical, ‘The Chess Monthly’, published by Daniel Fiske.

1857 1^st chess demonstration board, designed by Lowenthal.

1861 1^st American Chess Congress, held in New York (6 Oct 1861).

1862 1^st round robin, the 1862 London International.

1864 1^st idea of a chess-playing computer, conceived by Charles Babbage.

1866 1^st official British Championship, won by De Vere.

1867 1^st use of mechanical chess clocks, used in a Paris tournament (June 4).

1867 1^st time draws counted as a half a point, at the Dundee International.

1869 1^st documented proposal for deciding tournament placings.

1870 1^st correspondence chess club, The Caissa Correspondence Club, founded.

1871 1^st book published devoted only to the endgame, by Durand.

1873 1^st tie-breaking system used, the Sonnenborn-Berger system in Vienna.

1876 1^st brilliancy prize offered, a silver cup, Bird defeating Mason.

1876 1^st Russian chess magazine, Shakmatnyi Listok, by Tchigorin.

1877 1^st opening of the Manhattan Chess Club.

1878 1^st chess game to be played by telephone.

1878 1^st automation to play by electro-mechanical means (Mephisto).

1878 1^st use of the sealed move, introduced in Paris.

1880 1^st time the en passant rule is universally accepted by all countries.

1881 1^st appearance of the ‘British Chess Magazine’. 

1883 1^st use of the mechanical double-faced chess clock, in London (April 26).

1883 1^st use of the Forsyth notation for recording positions.

1885 1^st Congress of the British Chess Association (June 15).

1886 1^st official match for the world chess championship (Steinitz-Zukertort).

1888 1^st international correspondence chess tournament held.

1889 1^st best game prize, to Gunsberg for his game against Mason in New York.

1889 1^st brilliancy prize for a match game, Steinitz against Tchigorin.

1890 1^st official U.S. Chess Champion, Jackson Showalter.

1891 1^st issue of a yearbook on chess, issued by Ludwig Bachmann.

1895 1^st Swiss-System chess tournament, held in Zurich.

1896 1^st trans-Atlantic cable match, between London and New York (March 13-14).

1897 1^st women’s international tournament, held in London, won by Mary Rudge.

1899 1st chess clock with a flag that fell on the hour.

1900 1^st U.S. Open chess championship, held in Minnesota.

1902 1^st radio match held, between the SS Campania and SS Philadelphia.

1904 1^st formation of the British Chess Federation.

1906 1^st American Women’s chess tournament, in New York.

1906 1^st corres. association, the British Corres. Chess Association, formed.

1907 1^st title of grandmaster used at Ostende.

1908 1^st introduction of seconds, for the Lasker-Tarrasch match.

1909 1^st American chess correspondence organization, the CCLA, formed.

1911 1^st time chess players are reimbursed for their travels, at San Sebastian.

1911 1^st edition of ‘Modern Chess Openings’ published.

1911 1^st time a player played 100 opponents simultaneously, in Munich.

1914 1^st appearance of chess in the movies, from a scene in ‘Wishing Ring’.

1920 1^st USSR Chess Championship, won by Alexander Alekhine.

1924 1^st formation of the World Chess Federation (FIDE).

1924 1^st time an American defeated a Soviet in international competition.

1926 1^st time a player (Sxhultz) drew all his games in a tournament, in Hungary.

1925 1^st film to deal exclusively with chess, ‘Chess Fever’, made in Moscow.

1927 1^st chess Olympiad, in London.

1927 1^st use of algebraic figurine notation in a magazine, in Belgium.

1927 1^st Women’s World Chess Championship, won by Vera Menchik.

1929 1^st international codification of chess rules.

1929 1^st simultaneous exhibition on an airplane, by Tartakower.

1933 1^st numerical rating system, used for correspondence chessplayers.

1933 1^st issue of ‘Chess Review’, edited by Isaac Kashdan.

1936 1^st U.S. Chess Championship tournament, won by Reshevsky.

1937 1^st blindfold play against 34 opponents, Koltanowski in Scotland.

1937 1^st ballet with a chess theme, ‘Checkmate’ by Sir Arthur Bliss.

1939 1st formation of the U.S. Chess Federation.

1942 1^st use of the Swiss System in the U.S., in the Texas Championship.

1945 1^st international sporting event after WW II was the USSR-USA radio match.

1946 1^st publication of ‘Chess Life’.

1947 1^st chess stamp, issued in Bulgaria.

1947 1^st World Correspondence Chess Championship begins, won by Purdy.

1947 1^st time the USSR joins FIDE.

1947 1^st national event to use the Swiss System, the US Open, held.

1948 1^st article on computer chess, published by Claude Shannon.

1950 1^st USCF rating list appears.

1950 1^st time the title of grandmaster and international master are used.

1951 1^st World Junior Championship held, in England.

1951 1^st formation of the International Braille Chess Association.

1952 1^st international tournament for college students, held in England.

1954 1^st official student Olympiad, held in Oslo.

1956 1^st World Championship for the Deaf and Dumb, held in Poland.

1959 1^st computer program to play chess, written by Bernstein at MIT.

1959 1^st time the Elo system of rating chessplayers used.

1962 1^st grandmaster of over-the-board-play and correspondence, O’Kelly.

1965 1^st university to introduce a course on chess, Moscow University.

1966 1^st US Junior championship, won by Walter Browne.

1970 1^st time chess played in space, by the crew of Soyuz IX vs. ground control.

1970 1^st time a chess tournament was held with all opponents being computers.

1970 1^st time FIDE established an international rating system.

1971 1^st US championship for the blind, won by James Slagle.

1972 1^st British Grandmaster title to Comins Mansfield (for chess composition).

1974 1^st world computer chess championship, won by KAISSA.

1974 1^st book employing algebraic notation issued by a major US publisher.

1974 1^st chess championship tournament in China held.

1974 1^st World Cadet Championship (under 16), held in France (won by Mestel).

1975 1^st time Americans finished 1-2 in an International event, Portugal.

1976 1^st grandmaster to defect from the Soviet Union (Victor Korchnoi).

1976 1^st English-born player, Tony Miles, to become a Grandmaster.

1976 1^st time a major tournament (National Open) invoked a no smoking rule.

1977 1^st time a woman won a man’s event, Gaprindashvili at Lone Pine.

1977 1^st time an untitled player became a Grandmaster, Larry Christiansen.

1977 1^st computer (Sneaky Pete) to play in a US Open.

1978 1^st Swiss System Olympiad, Buenos Aires.

1978 1^st microcomputer chess tournament, won by Sargon in San Jose.

1978 1^st woman, Nona Gaprindashvili, to achieve the men’s Grandmaster title.

1981 1^st computer to win a state championship, Cray Blitz in Mississippi.

1981 1^st time standard notation (algebraic) is established for all countries.

1982 1^st brother-sister to tie for first in a tournament, in Chicago.

1982 1^st time an American beat a reigning world champ, Seirawan over Karpov.

1983 1^st time a microcomputer beat a master in tournament play.

1983 1^st time a computer got an established master’s rating.

1983 1^st video chess cassette, starring Orson Welles, Seirawan, Christiansen.

1983 1^st official FIDE world championship event, World Youth Team Ch, in the US.

1983 1^st National HS Individual Championship held (won by Patrick Wolff).

1984 1^st satellite simultaneous exhibition, Kasparov playing New York/London.

1984 1^st time the US beat the USSR in the Chess Olympics, at Thessaloniki.

1986 1^st time a Soviet entrant played in the U.S. Open.

1986 1^st time a chess Olympiad played in an Arab country - United Arab Emirates

1987 1^st time rated game/30 time control is played.

1996 1^st time a computer (Deep Blue) beats a world champion at normal time limit.

1997 1^st time a computer (Deeper Blue) beats a world champion in a match.

1998 1^st time a woman (Judit Polgar) wins a U.S. Open.