Prague report
18th CCI World Congress - April 2018
(fotos by N. Lanier and Wolfgang Pähtz)
This years CCI World meeting in Prague had be reorganized at short notice by the leaders of the orchestra, CCI President Michael Wiltshire and Past President Thomas Thomsen , because earlier arrangements via Prague organizer Pavel Matocha were considered unsatisfactory (comment by Pavel Matocha at the end) None of this last minute scramble showed in the smooth course of these 4 days, thanks to the routine and strong extra personal commitment of the Wiltshire & Thomsen team, as 48 participants - collectors plus spouses - could witness in loco. Most participants arrived from nearby Germany, the Melchings were here from the Netherlands, two Portuguese collectors (all there are!) showed up, four Luxemburg visitors, and two swiss collectors, plus Ole Dronen from Norway with his daughter Hanna - who hadn't been seen since the Cambridge meeting! From beyond the pond, this time Tom and Luanne Gallegos were well accompanied by Frank and Gwen Camaratta and Al Genteman, probably at an European meeting for the first time. And Myron Samsin, chess author from Canada, stepped in on his way to a Board Game congress in Athens the week after. Much regretted was the absence of Franz-Josef Lang and wife, both founding members of CCI, due to a sudden illness suffered by Franz-Josef. Except J.P.Goerens, none of the book collectors from the Ken Whyld Association showed up, although GSM-President Wolfgang Pähtz and his wife Steffi popped in for two days from nearby Erfurt.
view of the castle quarter with the cathedral from Strachov monastery
Wednesday evening everybody appeared in the hotel for registration and the traditional dinner, in order to warm up old friendships, discuss various topics of interest to chess collectors and integrate new members. One of these concerns has to do with the rising wave of ivory proscription, which after the USA threatens to make things difficult in Great Britain as well, as Michael Wiltshire informs. Of course , one can always collect plastic...- but most collectors are more interested in old sets and stuff....
sightseeing day
For this morning, we opted to forego a guide - with good reason. Once through the security check, among swirling masses of other tourists, everybody went their own way - some for a rapid visit to the stupendous Wladislaw Hall in the palace, others for a visit to the "Golden Lane" (tickets and turnstile, by God!), still others joined the endless line to enter the Cathedral or the romanic St. George's church. A very few hardy ones climbed 287 stairs up to the quadrangular tower, to enjoy a stupendous 360 degree view of the city. Later we all met back at the bus, to descend the hill for a longish walk to a riverside restaurant, which turned out to be an excellent choice - a view of the Charles bridge, the river and boat traffic - and excellent fare to boot!
After Lunch, back to the bus for a ride back up to the castle and a visit to the National Gallery in the Sternberg Palace, somewhat hidden just in front of the Castle quarter, and almost empty of visitors! Here again, each and all went ahead at their leisure, and dispersed inside the Museum, to meet again at the bus for the ride back to the hotel - with some preferring to foot it. CCI meetings in cities with a river always provide a riverboat dinner - here again, a bus took us to the river, where Thomas and Mike had provided for a small size boat just for our group, what a bonus. And the boat duly took us down the river, while we ate , talked and drank - the return from far up the river took us along the highly romantic riverside with lovely views of the Vysehrad castle, the the old won houses left and right, and the castle floating high above everything else in the background....
Sense and purpose
Lest somebody think CCI meetings are all about wining and dining - there is always a day of serious dealings - chess history, lectures, exchange of views, showing of chess sets or the like, and - a chess market.
On Friday morning we met in a conference room , with Michel Wiltshire opening the proceedings with a few words on the prohibition of all ivory trade that is on the British political agenda - while there is not a lot we can do about it, considering the strong lobby from the the WWF and other nature preservation groups, Michael suggested we direct letters and recommendations to the British Parliament. Straight after, Max de Angelis presented a short resume of his forthcoming book on very rare 17th century chess sets from Italy - a subject he has made a pluriannual study of . Nicholas Lanier provided the background to the design and introduction of the Czech Tournament chess pieces, which came about in a moment of national fervour at the end of the 19th century, to assert Czech cultural status also on the chess board - these chess sets albeit not in use anymore, are still made! Thomas Thomsen provided a sweeping overview of chess sets in non-ferrous metal - that is, gold, silver, pewter, lead, aluminum - from his inexhaustible funds. And then Manfred Stach showed us a very fine chess set in ivory he considers the cream of his small but select collection of chess artefacts. After a coffee break Tom Gallegos gave a most entertaining talk on chess in Old Bohemia, with numerous surprising takes on chess motives and chess players of the past. Wolfgang Pähtz - with Rainer Grund translating as Wolfgang doesn't speak english well - informed about recent changes in the GSM grouping of chess motive collectors - the GSM counts over 150 members, almost as much as CCI. Finally Michael Wiltshire resumed the meeting with a view of the forthcoming German meeting in Seiffen in October - these German meetings these days are the most vital part of CCI, for various reasons.
Lest somebody think CCI meetings are all about wining and dining - there is always a day of serious dealings - chess history, lectures, exchange of views, showing of chess sets or the like, and - a chess market.
On Friday morning we met in a conference room , with Michel Wiltshire opening the proceedings with a few words on the prohibition of all ivory trade that is on the British political agenda - while there is not a lot we can do about it, considering the strong lobby from the the WWF and other nature preservation groups, Michael suggested we direct letters and recommendations to the British Parliament. Straight after, Max de Angelis presented a short resume of his forthcoming book on very rare 17th century chess sets from Italy - a subject he has made a pluriannual study of . Nicholas Lanier provided the background to the design and introduction of the Czech Tournament chess pieces, which came about in a moment of national fervour at the end of the 19th century, to assert Czech cultural status also on the chess board - these chess sets albeit not in use anymore, are still made! Thomas Thomsen provided a sweeping overview of chess sets in non-ferrous metal - that is, gold, silver, pewter, lead, aluminum - from his inexhaustible funds. And then Manfred Stach showed us a very fine chess set in ivory he considers the cream of his small but select collection of chess artefacts. After a coffee break Tom Gallegos gave a most entertaining talk on chess in Old Bohemia, with numerous surprising takes on chess motives and chess players of the past. Wolfgang Pähtz - with Rainer Grund translating as Wolfgang doesn't speak english well - informed about recent changes in the GSM grouping of chess motive collectors - the GSM counts over 150 members, almost as much as CCI. Finally Michael Wiltshire resumed the meeting with a view of the forthcoming German meeting in Seiffen in October - these German meetings these days are the most vital part of CCI, for various reasons.
Lunch was a bit of a hurried affair, because everybody was anxious to be on time for the afternoon chess market. Here Rodolfo and his "manager" Milly Pozzi certainly scored best. In the space of ten minutes - less time than it took them to set up their table! - the two had sold their very old, small-size Mongolian chess sets - Rodolfo is considered the leading authority on Mongolian chess pieces, having published a concise booklet on them years ago. Thomas Thomsen also sold most of his chess sets, and Wolfgang Pähtz did well as usual with a selection of sets, books, stamps and prints. Two more commercial out fits - three persons representing the Bielorussian Golovko chess sets manufactory, and a gent from France with a highly intricate metal chess set for 30.000.- Euro - really a steal! - completed the market - which petered out after about one hectic hour.
Art Deco splendour
But the day was to end on a very high note indeed - the group met in a lavish cellar under the Community Hall . decorated in art deco style, for an opulent dinner of goose leg with dumplings and red cabbage, watered by superb Pilsen beer. After dinner, the way back to the hotel seemed noticeable longer than before....
But the day was to end on a very high note indeed - the group met in a lavish cellar under the Community Hall . decorated in art deco style, for an opulent dinner of goose leg with dumplings and red cabbage, watered by superb Pilsen beer. After dinner, the way back to the hotel seemed noticeable longer than before....
Chess in the Museum
On Saturday morning we piled into the bus to mosey over to the Museum of Decorative Arts, where a special show of antique chess sets had been set up for us. The Museum is not overly endowed with chess sets - plus is just starting up again after a closure of one and a half years for restoration - so some members provided a few of their own chess sets for the exhibit. Three lovely Edel sets, two Eger boards and two excellent Geislingen sets among inlaid 17th century gameboards - and a fabulous wooden carved chess set from Bohemia, with most pieces representing major figures from Czech history . The Museum itself is most attractive - especially the opulent historic frescos along the walls of the impressive staircase - but most of the sections were still closed. At 11h 00 we trooped into a hall the Museum had generously allowed us to use, for the highlight of the meeting. Barbara Holländer described in detail - aided by her son Georg who accompanied her from Berlin - the times and passions of one of the greatest collectors of all times - Emperor Rudolf II. who lived in Prague - and whose collection was dismantled and dispersed right after his death. A good part of it , though , remains to be seen in Austrian Museums like Ambras Castle in Innsbruck and in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
On Saturday morning we piled into the bus to mosey over to the Museum of Decorative Arts, where a special show of antique chess sets had been set up for us. The Museum is not overly endowed with chess sets - plus is just starting up again after a closure of one and a half years for restoration - so some members provided a few of their own chess sets for the exhibit. Three lovely Edel sets, two Eger boards and two excellent Geislingen sets among inlaid 17th century gameboards - and a fabulous wooden carved chess set from Bohemia, with most pieces representing major figures from Czech history . The Museum itself is most attractive - especially the opulent historic frescos along the walls of the impressive staircase - but most of the sections were still closed. At 11h 00 we trooped into a hall the Museum had generously allowed us to use, for the highlight of the meeting. Barbara Holländer described in detail - aided by her son Georg who accompanied her from Berlin - the times and passions of one of the greatest collectors of all times - Emperor Rudolf II. who lived in Prague - and whose collection was dismantled and dispersed right after his death. A good part of it , though , remains to be seen in Austrian Museums like Ambras Castle in Innsbruck and in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
Each end is a new beginning....
The afternoon was reserved for a walk around the old town - swimming among the thronging crowds, that is - can't tell You about it, as I opted out of this "bain dans la foule". In the evening we had a quiet dinner at the hotel, during which Nicholas Lanier recounted some of his memories in the last days of coffeehouse chess in Vienna - not always an edifiying experience, but the waning days of chess in Viennese cafés had their memorable moments,to be sure.....
Sunday morning the collectors dispersed rapidly after breakfast - most had a flight to catch, the German contingent was eager to drive home for traffic reasons. The Wiltshire's , the Gallegos' and Yours truly still staid on for a day, and had a most agreeable dinner in a riverside resto, with a view of pleasure boats in the form of swans and oldtimers gliding through the waters.
When shall we meet again? When the clock strikes ten.... - in Seiffen in October, for the German meeting, for those who can make it. And in 2020 the next World Meeting of CCI shall be organized by Tom Gallegos in St. Louis, Missouri, in the premises of the World Chess Hall of Fame.
The afternoon was reserved for a walk around the old town - swimming among the thronging crowds, that is - can't tell You about it, as I opted out of this "bain dans la foule". In the evening we had a quiet dinner at the hotel, during which Nicholas Lanier recounted some of his memories in the last days of coffeehouse chess in Vienna - not always an edifiying experience, but the waning days of chess in Viennese cafés had their memorable moments,to be sure.....
Sunday morning the collectors dispersed rapidly after breakfast - most had a flight to catch, the German contingent was eager to drive home for traffic reasons. The Wiltshire's , the Gallegos' and Yours truly still staid on for a day, and had a most agreeable dinner in a riverside resto, with a view of pleasure boats in the form of swans and oldtimers gliding through the waters.
When shall we meet again? When the clock strikes ten.... - in Seiffen in October, for the German meeting, for those who can make it. And in 2020 the next World Meeting of CCI shall be organized by Tom Gallegos in St. Louis, Missouri, in the premises of the World Chess Hall of Fame.
Resumée
Prague provided a really nice stay in a fascinating old town - ...for those, who already feel a bit of nostalgia, here are a few parting shots from this wonderful city, with its bustling daylife......we shall be back!
Nas hledanou, Praha....
Prague provided a really nice stay in a fascinating old town - ...for those, who already feel a bit of nostalgia, here are a few parting shots from this wonderful city, with its bustling daylife......we shall be back!
Nas hledanou, Praha....
(c) Nicholas Lanier 2018
Comment from Pavel Matocha, Prague
1.5. - Pavel Matocha , chess organizer n Prague, would like to stress, that he was not the one who suggested a CCI meeting in Prague, but was asked to help in this undertaking by Thomas Thomsen and Mike Wiltshire in Selb/Frantiske Lazne. He also states that he could not help in the organisation of the meeting due to unavailability of time on his schedule.
1.5. - Pavel Matocha , chess organizer n Prague, would like to stress, that he was not the one who suggested a CCI meeting in Prague, but was asked to help in this undertaking by Thomas Thomsen and Mike Wiltshire in Selb/Frantiske Lazne. He also states that he could not help in the organisation of the meeting due to unavailability of time on his schedule.
