2017 Hall of Fame Inductees to be Honored in Saint Louis on March 28

Induction Ceremony Will Kick Off the 2017 U.S. Championship and U.S. Women’s Championship SAINT LOUIS  — An induction ceremony on March 28, 2017, will recognize four exceptional chess players as they take their places in history as members of the World and U.S. Chess Halls of Fame. Representatives of the World Chess Federation (Fédération Internationale des Échecs or FIDE) nominated and selected Soviet and Swiss Grandmaster and writer Viktor Korchnoi, Austrian chess master Paula Kalmar-Wolf, and Russian–born Israeli Woman Grandmaster Alla Kushnir for induction into the World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF). They join 27 other players who have received the honor since the WCHOF’s creation in 2001. Members of the WCHOF are chosen for their total contribution to the sport. Players as well as others who have made an impact as authors, journalists, organizers and in other ways are eligible for induction. “The 2017 World Chess Hall of Fame inductees are talented men and women of diverse cultural backgrounds recognized for their significant contributions to the game,” Beatriz Marinello, FIDE Vice President, said. The trustees of the U.S. Chess Trust have selected International Master and author Edward Lasker for induction into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame. Lasker joins 57 players currently in the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame. The U.S. Chess Federation Hall of Fame Committee considers and sends candidates for the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame to the U.S. Chess Trust each year. “Lasker was not only an elite chess player but an accomplished author. We are thrilled to welcome him into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame for his role in advancing the game of chess” Harold Winston, U.S. Chess Trust Chairman, said. Each player is commemorated at the World Chess Hall of Fame in Saint Louis, Missouri, with a plaque bearing their image and a biography of their notable contributions to the game. “The World Chess Hall of Fame commends the 2017 inductees, and we look forward to celebrating their contributions to the game at this year’s induction ceremony in Saint Louis on March 28th,” Shannon Bailey, chief curator of the WCHOF in Saint Louis, said. About the 2017 World Chess Hall of Fame Honorees Viktor Korchnoi (1931 – 2016) Paula Kalmar-Wolf (1881 – 1931) Alla Kushnir (1941 – 2013) About the 2017 U.S. Chess Hall of Fame Honorees Edward Lasker (1885 – 1981) About the World Chess Hall of Fame The World Chess Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization committed to building awareness for the cultural and artistic significance of chess. It opened on September 9, 2011, in the Central West End after moving from previous locations in New York and Miami. The World Chess Hall of Fame is located at 4652 Maryland Avenue, housed in an historic 15,900 square-foot residence-turned -business, and features the U.S. and World Chess Halls of Fame, displays of artifacts from the permanent collection and exhibitions highlighting the great players, historic games and rich cultural history of chess. The World Chess Hall of Fame partners with the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis to provide innovative programming and outreach to local, national and international audiences.    For more information, please visit the World Chess Hall of Fame online at www.worldchesshof.org.