The monthly ''Chess Life'' and bi-monthly ''Chess Life Kids'' (formerly ''School Mates'' and ''Chess Life for Kids'') are the official

magazines A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combination ...

published by the

United States Chess Federation The United States Chess Federation (also known as US Chess or USCF) is the governing body for chess competition in the United States and represents the U.S. in FIDE, the World Chess Federation. US Chess administers the official national rating ...

(US Chess). ''Chess Life'' is advertised as the "most widely read chess magazine in the world," and reaches more than a quarter of a million readers each month. It focuses on American chess players and tournaments, instruction, human interest, and US Chess governance matters. ''Chess Life Kids'' is geared towards those under 14. A subscription to ''Chess Life'' and ''Chess Life Kids'' is currently one benefit of becoming a US Chess member or affiliate. All members are given access to the online versions of ''Chess Life'' and ''Chess Life Kids'' (including back issues). Affiliates and some membership categories also receive printed copies of ''Chess Life'' and/or ''Chess Life Kids''.

History

The United States Chess Federation was incorporated on December 27, 1939. In the early years, it had no office and no publication. In 1945 and 1946, USCF Annual books were published. In 1946, publication of ''Chess Life'' started as a bi-weekly newspaper, usually eight or twelve pages long. In 1961, Frank Brady converted ''Chess Life'' to a slick-covered magazine. In 1969, ''Chess Life'' merged with '' Chess Review'', the other leading U.S. chess magazine. The magazine was published under the title ''Chess Life & Review'' starting with the November 1969 issue until 1980 when it returned to the name ''Chess Life''.

Editors of ''Chess Life''

* 05/1946–12/1957 Montgomery Major * 01/1958-12/1960 Fred M. Wren * 01/1961–12/1961 Frank Brady * 01/1962–05/1966 J. F. Reinhardt * 06/1966–11/1966 Ed Edmondson and Bill Goichberg * 12/1966––––––––

Burt Hochberg Burt Hochberg (1933 – May 13, 2006) was an expert on chess and other games and puzzles. He authored and edited many books on chess, and served as editor of both ''Chess Life'' (from December 1966 until October 1979 inclusive), and ''GAMES'' m ...

and Ed Edmondson * 01/1967–10/1979

* 11/1979–01/1982 Fairfield W. Hoban * 02/1982–12/1984 Frank Elley * 01/1985–03/1988 Larry Parr * 04/1988–––––––– Fairfield W. Hoban * 05/1988–07/1989 Don Maddox * 08/1989–––––––– Boris Baczynskyj * 09/1989–10/1990 Julie Ann Desch * 11/1990–10/2000 Glenn Petersen * 11/2000–10/2003 Peter Kurzdorfer * 11/2003–12/2003 Glenn Petersen * 01/2004–03/2005 Kalev Pehme * 04/2005–02/2006 Glenn Petersen * 10/2005–02/2006 Gerald Dullea * 03/2006–05/2018 Daniel Lucas * 06/2018-05/2020 Melinda Matthews * 06/2020-present John Hartmann

Contributors to ''Chess Life''

Some of the notable chess authors and players to write for ''Chess Life'': *

Lev Alburt Lev Osipovich Alburt (born August 21, 1945) is a chess Grandmaster, writer and coach. He was born in Orenburg, Russia, and became three-time Ukrainian Champion. After defecting to the United States in 1979, he became three-time U.S. Champion. ...

''Back to Basics'' *

Leonard Barden Leonard William Barden (born 20 August 1929, in Croydon, London) is an English chess master, writer, broadcaster, journalist, organizer and promoter. The son of a dustman, he was educated at Whitgift School, South Croydon, and Balliol Colleg ...

(1960s) *

Pal Benko Pál C. Benkő ( hu, Benkő Pál; July 15, 1928 – August 26, 2019) was a Hungarian-American chess player, author, and composer of endgame studies and chess problems. Early life Benko was born on July 15, 1928 in Amiens, France, where his ...

''In the Arena'' (1972–1981), ''Endgame Lab'' (1981–2013), and chess problem column ''Benko's Bafflers'' * David L. Brown ''Key Krackers'' * Robert Byrne * John W. Collins (1950s and 1960s) ''Games by USCF Members'' *

Alex Dunne Alexander Dunne (born 11 November 2005) is an Irish racing driver currently competing in the Italian F4 Championship for US Racing. He won the 2022 F4 British Championship for Hitech Grand Prix. Career Karting Dunne began karting at the ...

''The Check is in the Mail'' * Larry Evans ''Evans on Chess'' *

Bobby Fischer Robert James Fischer (March 9, 1943January 17, 2008) was an American chess grandmaster and the eleventh World Chess Champion. A chess prodigy, he won his first of a record eight US Championships at the age of 14. In 1964, he won with an 1 ...

(June 1963 debut) ''Fischer Talks Chess'' *

Svetozar Gligorić Svetozar Gligorić (Serbian Cyrillic: Светозар Глигорић, 2 February 1923 – 14 August 2012) was a Serbian and Yugoslav chess grandmaster and musician. He won the championship of Yugoslavia a record twelve times, and is consider ...

''Game of the Month'' *

Garry Kasparov Garry Kimovich Kasparov (born 13 April 1963) is a Russian chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist and commentator. His peak rating of 2851, achieved in 1999, was the highest recorded until being surpassed by ...

(1993–1994) *

Irina Krush Irina Borisivna Krush ( uk, Ірина Борисівна Круш; born December 24, 1983) is an American chess Grandmaster. She is the first woman, and as of August 2022 the only woman, to earn the GM title while playing for the United States ...

Paul Keres Paul Keres (; 7 January 1916 – 5 June 1975) was an Estonian chess grandmaster and chess writer. He was among the world's top players from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s, and narrowly missed a chance at a World Chess Championship match on five ...

(1968–1975) ''Keres Annotates...'' * Al Lawrence Former USCF Executive director and co-author of more than a dozen books *

Robert Lincoln Robert Todd Lincoln (August 1, 1843 – July 26, 1926) was an American lawyer, businessman, and politician. He was the eldest son of President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln. Robert Lincoln became a business lawyer and company presid ...

''Easy Does It'' (chess problems) *

William Lombardy William James Joseph Lombardy (December 4, 1937 – October 13, 2017) was an American chess grandmaster, chess writer, teacher, and former Catholic priest. He was one of the leading American chess players during the 1950s and 1960s, and a contem ...

(1958–1960s) ''Tidbits of Master Play'' *

Abby Marshall Abby Marshall (born June 11, 1991) is a chess player from Columbus, Ohio, United States, who has resided in Virginia, United States since late 2005. She is a Woman FIDE Master and in 2009 won the Denker Tournament of High School Champions, the f ...

Edmar Mednis Edmar John Mednis ( lv, Edmārs Džons Mednis; March 22, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was a Latvian-American chess player and writer of Latvian people, Latvian origin. He was awarded the title of Grandmaster (chess), Grandmaster by FIDE in 198 ...

Frank Niro Frank or Franks may refer to: People * Frank (given name) * Frank (surname) * Franks (surname) * Franks, a medieval Germanic people * Frank, a term in the Muslim world for all western Europeans, particularly during the Crusades - see Farang Curr ...

Contributed at least one article, game, letter or photo to the magazine in each of the past five decades. *

Luděk Pachman Luděk Pachman (German: Ludek Pachmann, May 11, 1924 – March 6, 2003) was a Czechoslovak-German chess grandmaster, chess writer, and political activist. In 1972, after being imprisoned and tortured almost to death by the Communist regime in ...

''Pachman On the Openings'' * Bruce Pandolfini ''Solitaire Chess'' * Susan Polgar ''Opening Secrets'' * Miro Radojcic ''Observation Point'' *

Samuel Reshevsky Samuel Herman Reshevsky (born Szmul Rzeszewski; November 26, 1911 – April 4, 1992) was a Polish chess prodigy and later a leading American chess grandmaster. He was a contender for the World Chess Championship from the mid-1930s to the mid-196 ...

''The Art of Positional Play'' * Michael Rohde (1991–2006) ''Game of the Month'' *

Jennifer Shahade Jennifer Shahade (born December 31, 1980) is an American chess player, poker player, commentator and writer. She is a two-time United States Women's Champion and has the FIDE title of Woman Grandmaster. Shahade is the author of the books ''Chess ...

Andy Soltis Andrew Eden Soltis (born May 28, 1947) is an American chess grandmaster, author and columnist. He was inducted into the United States Chess Hall of Fame in September 2011. Chess career Soltis learned how the chess pieces moved at age 10 when he ...

''Chess to Enjoy'' * Kester Svendsen * László Szabó (1970s) ''Games from Recent Events'' *

Daniel Naroditsky Daniel Naroditsky (born ), also known as Danya, is an American chess grandmaster, author, and commentator. He published his first chess book at age 14. Chess career Born in San Mateo, California, Naroditsky learned chess at age six from ...

' 'Endgame Column' '

References

External links

* {{Chess, state=collapsed Chess periodicals Chess in the United States 1946 in chess Magazines established in 1946 Monthly magazines published in the United States Magazines published in Tennessee

History

Editors of ''Chess Life''

Contributors to ''Chess Life''

See also

References

External links