Program Type: Exhibition

May 7, 2026 – May 9, 2026

Curated by Shannon Bailey and Emily Allred

Overview

Game Plan: The Strategy of Chess & Sports explores the deep and often surprising connections between chess and sports—revealing how strategy, discipline, preparation, and competitive spirit unite the physical and mental arenas of play. Spanning all three galleries at the World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries, the exhibition moves from celebrating the top players and contributors to a variety of international sports, to regional pride and milestones, and finally to hands-on engagement that invites visitors of all ages to play, experiment, and think like champions.

Gallery 1: “Hall of Legends”

The Hall of Legends establishes the intellectual and cultural foundations of chess and sports, spotlighting elite figures who bridge both worlds. From chess grandmasters who train athletically to world-class athletes who rely on chess to sharpen focus and decision-making, this gallery highlights how excellence transcends the physical–mental divide. Scientific studies on the brain, cognition, and performance underscore the essential role of preparation, pattern recognition, and resilience in both arenas.

Visitors encounter themes familiar to any competitor: pre-game rituals, superstition, discipline, sportsmanship, and the relentless pursuit of improvement. The gallery also explores how chess language permeates sports culture—terms like “endgame,” “pawn,” “checkmate,” “gambit,” and “opening strategy”—and how figures from both fields give back through philanthropy and mentorship. Together, these stories frame chess and sports as parallel systems governed by rules, ethics, and the authority of arbiters and officials, reinforcing respect, fairness, and mastery.

Gallery 2: “Gateway to Great Sports”

Gateway to Great Sports grounds the exhibition in place, celebrating Saint Louis and Missouri as a powerful crossroads of athletic and chess achievement. This gallery highlights iconic teams, legendary moments, and milestone events across local and state sports history, while also showcasing Missouri’s outsized influence in the chess world thanks to the generous support and vision of U.S. Chess Hall of Fame inductees Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield and Rex Sinquefield.

Historic photographs, videos, and memorabilia—such as ceremonial first pitches and crossover moments between athletes and chess figures—illustrate how chess and sports intersect in civic pride and community identity. By situating chess alongside beloved regional teams and traditions, this gallery demonstrates how strategic thinking and competitive excellence are woven into the cultural fabric of the Gateway City and beyond.

Gallery 3: Fan Zone

The exhibition culminates in the Fan Zone, an interactive space that invites visitors to engage directly with chess through the lens of sport. Sports-themed chess sets, immersive VR and AR experiences, and playful interpretations of the game, such as Hula Chess, transform spectators into participants. Visitors will also learn about how members of the U.S. and World Chess Halls of Fame are connected to the world of athletics. A curated reading area offers books and resources for deeper exploration, appealing to both newcomers and seasoned players. Several fun and inspiring sports-related chess sets will be on display and available to play.

Designed to be energetic, accessible, and multi-generational, the Fan Zone reinforces the exhibition’s core message: chess is not just a game to observe—it is a living, evolving sport of the mind that thrives through play, innovation, and community engagement.

The exhibition will run for one full year to celebrate all sports and their respective seasons of play.

For more than 1,500 years, chess has fascinated players around the world. Yet the game has never stood still. From its origins in India and Persia to today’s global stage, each culture that embraced chess reshaped it—changing boards, inventing new pieces, and imagining bold twists on the rules.

Chess Variants: Transforming Tradition invites visitors on a journey through chess’s remarkable evolution—tracing the game’s origins, its spread across continents, and the inventive twists that have kept it fresh for centuries. From ancient boards carved in Persia to the instantly recognizable Staunton design, the exhibition highlights how cultures adapted the game and how today’s players continue to push the boundaries with bold new variants.

At the heart of the gallery, a vibrant timeline unfolds: theories of the game’s beginnings, the migration of rules and pieces across Asia and Europe, and the many ways communities reimagined the board itself. Visitors will discover how shifting strategies, piece design, and regional styles gave birth to the modern rules we know today—while also opening the door to hundreds of creative alternatives.

Photographs of press photos of inventors of a variety of variants, original artwork from Louisiana artist Jonathan Guillaume, and pop-culture chess references, including boards and sets made popular by Star Trek and Star Wars, showcase chess variants in different realms. 

An entire section of the exhibition is dedicated to Polgar Starchess, created by László Polgár, the father of the famous Polgár sisters. A section highlighting Asian chess variants, including Shogi, Janggi, and Xiangqi, rounds out the exhibition.

The show draws on the expertise of leading chess historians Rick Knowlton, John McCrary, and Myron Samsin, alongside collectors and innovators including Jon Crumiller, László Polgár, and Yasser Seirawan. Objects from the World Chess Hall of Fame’s permanent collection, rare artifacts, and dazzling sets bring the story to life:

Blending rare artifacts with interactive play, the exhibition invites both seasoned players and curious newcomers to see chess not only as tradition, but as endless possibility

Through the Featured Chess Set Project, the World Chess Hall of Fame showcases a variety of chess sets throughout the year. These include highlights from our own collection as well as chess sets owned by friends and chess lovers who have special stories to accompany their sets.

Exhibit Overview

The World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) opened its doors in Saint Louis, Missouri, in September 2011 and has welcomed over 200,000 visitors. With exhibitions that focus on the historical and cultural significance of the game, the WCHOF seeks to celebrate the wide range of the game, from the incredible players and contributors to the game, and note how chess is intertwined with art, music, design, and pop culture. The exhibitions and related programming are geared towards visitors interested in the game, from experts to those interested in beginning to learn, and most importantly, to children and families. This year, the WCHOF is taking one of their most family-friendly shows out to thousands of chess-playing students who attend US Chess National Scholastic Events.

The World Chess Hall of Fame is proud to announce its first major collaboration with US Chess taking place outside of Saint Louis. A selection of artifacts from the WCHOF’s 2017 exhibition POW! Capturing Superheroes, Chess & Comics including original comic books and superhero-related chess sets as well as an activity book will be available to all visitors and estimated 10,000 participants in the 2024 National K-12 Grade Championships in National Harbor, MD, from December 6 to 8, 2024, and the 2025 SuperNationals VIII from May 9 to 11, 2025, in Orlando, FL.

The Exhibition
From Archie Andrews to the Avengers, from the Mighty Thor to Mickey Mouse, it seems that nearly every character in comics has taken a turn on the chessboard. It might be because chess provides a potent metaphor for the struggle between good and evil—or perhaps it is because 64-square grids and tiny sculpted pieces are so much fun to draw. Whatever their reasons, cartoonists have been offering their own twists on chess ever since the dawn of cartooning.

The ancient game of chess was created in the 6th century and immediately, the pieces became a way to tell stories, especially about battles between good and evil. As the game moved through Asia and then to Europe, the pieces were transformed to reflect current political moods, historical heroes, as well as legendary figures. Similarly, the stories and characters in comics and then later comic books would do the same thing.

A game of war, battle, strategic thinking, and artistic moves, chess lent itself well to the nature of comics and their characters. From 1940 to the present day, chess has graced the cover or stories of comics including the superhero genres, as well as horror, crime, science fiction, teen, and even Walt Disney characters. With hundreds of chess-related comic book covers, stories, and original characters, Pow! Capturing Superheroes, Chess & Comics celebrates another remarkable intersection of chess, art, and popular culture.

Eight chess sets and boards and 12 comic books will be on display with over 100 scanned chess-related comic books digitally available.

Other WCHOF Presence
Q Boutique will take part as a vendor at the tournaments offering related Chess Campus merchandise, copies of all languages of Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield’s Read and Write Chess (as of August 2024 available in 15 languages), and an exclusive activity book created for this collaboration.

Q Boutique is thrilled to be representing the World Chess Hall of Fame for our inaugural event at the 2024 National K-12 Grade Championships! Get ready for an exciting array of exclusive merchandise, including stylish vinyl chess board sets complete with chic travel bags, along with vibrant pens, pencils, and essential chess notation notebooks. Whether you’re a seasoned strategist or just starting your chess journey, we’ve got everything you need to make your experience unforgettable.

Curated by Nicole Tessmer

Crown Jewels: Donation Highlights showcases 75 stunning chess sets, artworks, memorabilia, and more, gifted from 50 donors to the World Chess Hall of Fame. Benefactors include Chess Collectors International Members Frank Camaratta, Jon Crumiller, Dr. George and Vivian Dean, and the late Bernice and Floyd Sarisohn. See the intricate metalwork on a Hungarian chess set, a bespoke chess set created for the Shah of Iran, and many never-before-exhibited artifacts.