Chess on Broadway

I'm a casual chess player, the kind who's never studied openings and the like, but when I heard about this match back in 1990, I bought a ticket and subwayed up from my 25th Street apartment to watch the action in person. It was the fifth (and final) time Kasparov and Karpov faced each other for the World Chess Championship.

The Hudson Theater, on 44th Street just east of Broadway, has over 700 seats and I remember them all being filled. Kasparov and Karpov played center stage with a 15-foot demo board displaying their moves. Three commentators called the action, which was transmitted via cordless headphones.

The truth is, I couldn't follow all the intricacies of their play, but it was fascinating nonetheless. I watched and listened intently for hours. The game ended in a draw after 84 moves.

The two of them played 12 games in New York, and with each player winning one game and drawing the rest, the score was tied at 6-6. The match then moved to Lyon, France, for a final 12 games. In the end, Kasparov ended up retaining his title, 12.5 to 11.5.