CHESS

[CHESS]. Soyuz 9. Photograph of the chess board at move number 53, signed by cosmonauts [Andriyan Grigoryevich] Nikolayev and [Vitaly I.] Sevastyanov, inscribed in brown ink, On board the space ship Soyuz 9, and dated June 10, 1970. The chess board shows the winning move of "Touv Chian Bvi, 'The Swallow,' 1961, 3rd prize / Checkmate in 2 moves." The photograph measures 3 1/2 inches wide by by 5 1/4 inches high and is in fine condition.

Chess is mostly likely the first board game of any kind to go into space. Aboard Soyuz 9, chess was the only game mentioned in the commander's log book. On the log book page for orbit 144, Nikolayev writes, "Day off...Dawn [ground control] offered to play us a game of chess." The present inscribed photograph likewise offers evidence of the game being played in space. Nikolayev and Sevastyanov manned the Soyuz 9 flight on June 1, 1970, and set a space endurance record of almost eighteen days in orbit. The mission, primarily one of determining the effects of prolonged spaceflight, ended on June 19.

Framed in two shades of mauve and antiqued gilt measuring 9 1/2 inches wide by 11 1/2 inches high.

This item is associated with the following category in our inventory:

• Sports