Was Dr. Jose Rizal, national hero of the Philippines, the first chess master in the country?
I came across a historic account about Rizal that he was a chess master.
The account reads:
Tomas Arejola says that "such was his punctuality and his enthusiasm for study that he would abandon any ceremony, no matter how important it might be, if the hour he had previously arranged had arrived, and go home to his books. A certain hour of the day he played chess (at which he was a master.) But even though the moment of most intense interest had come, such as being able to checkmate the king or queen, if the clock marked the time his schedule said he should do something else, he would get up and leave, and no pressure from his friends could persuade him to change his mind." Source: joserizal.info
Just in case you're wondering why I post this blog, it's simply because December 30 (Rizal Day) is near.
Rizal's Chess Set. You may note that it was designed for travel with holes put in the board to hold the chess pieces securely.
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