CHESS ENCYCLOPEDIA PUBLISHED FOR FIRST TIME IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, MARCH 17, NOYAN TAPAN. “The Chess Encyclopedia” was published
for the first time in Armenia by the publishing house Areg. It consists
of 6 parts and includes more than 500 word entries, about 300 chess
games, 44 chess openings and 150 photographs.

While following the principle of “dry” information typical of all
encyclopedias, the authors Samvel Gasparian, Gagik Hakobian and
Roland Sharoyan at the same time made an attempt to present the facts
and phenomena in a “non-encyclopedic language”. The two chapters –
“The Lives of 13 Chess Kings and 10 Chess Queens” and “The Armenian
Inhabitants of the Chess World” are especially notable.

Co-author Gagik Hakobian noted at the presentation on March 15
that it is imposible to cover the entire history of chess in one
encyclopedia. That is why it is envisaged to refresh the encyclopedia
every three or four years. “The Armenians are fond of playing chess,
and since the 1950s the Armenian chess players have been in leading
positions. One should not forget that Tigran Petrosian was the 9th
World Champion, and let’s hope that Levon Aronian will win the World
Champion title next year.”

The encyclopedia presentation was attended by the RA Minister of
Defence, Chairman of the Chess Federation of Armenia Serge Sargsian
and some other high-ranking officials.