US Chess Hall of Fame
From groundbreaking pioneers to celebrated champions, the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame proudly recognizes the remarkable players, visionary coaches, and influential writers who have profoundly shaped American chess history. Dive into the enduring legacy of those who mastered the 64 squares and propelled the game forward.
Each year, candidates for induction to the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame are nominated by the US Chess Federation Recognitions Committee, which includes several leading chess historians, and begins the induction process by making the initial nominations for induction into the US Chess Hall of Fame. Those recommendations are then sent to the US Chess Executive Board for comment. The nominations made by the Recognitions Committee are sent to the U.S. Chess Trust; and the Executive Board’s comments on the Recognition Committee’s report are also sent to the US Trust, which has the official authority to determine the inductees. Inductees are honored at a grand induction ceremony.
Robert (Bobby) James Fischer
inducted 1986 (U.S.) | 2001 (World)
Paul Charles Morphy
inducted 1986 (U.S.) | 2001 (World)
Rex Sinquefield
inducted 2020
Arpad Elo
inducted 1988
Wilhelm (William) Steinitz
inducted 1987 (U.S.) | 2001 (World)
Maurice Ashley
inducted 2016
Benjamin Franklin
inducted 1999
Irving Chernev
inducted 2007
Yasser Seirawan
inducted 2006
Susan Polgar
inducted 2019 (U.S.) | 2023 (World)
Samuel Herman Reshevsky
inducted 1986
Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield
inducted 2020
