Every year the Chessmen Museum organizes a chess game design competition. In 2012 six different games were sent to us and we will have a look at them in this chapter. The museum’s enthusiastic visitors were the professional jurors of the competition.
During the 2012 edition of Museum Night the submitted designs were revealed to the public for the first time. During that night visitors could vote for their favorite design and they could continue to do so throughout the rest of the season. A total of 415 votes have been received for these six designs. The results show a clear favorite.
Participants and winners
The jury, made up of the museum’s visitors, voted 173 times (42 percent) for the chess game made of pieces from alarm clocks. This design (shown on the left) submitted by Reinie Lap, is the undisputed winner of the design competition.
Second prize goes to the chess game made of wooden blocks that fit perfectly together when they are put back in their box. This set (shown on the right) was designed by Piet de Koning and received 98 votes (24 percent).
This refined chess game made entirely of shells (on the left) was made by Daan Matla and received 83 votes (20 percent). This made it the third prize winner of the competition.
The Feyenoord-Ajax chess set (shown on the right) received 24 votes (6 percent). It was made by five students of the Erasmiaans Gymnasium in Rotterdam. Sam, Anton, Joep, Ramazan and Maarten were the fourth place winners.
This lovely chess game is made of clay and its pieces are black and white cats. It was made by Ivonne van Buuren and received 23 votes (6 percent) and was the fifth place winner (see picture on the left).
Last but certainly not least: the gold and silver chess game. The bishops, in Dutch also called the runners, are made of a little pair of shoes. The chess board, painted in disco colors completes this cheerful game. This set (shown on the right) was made by Kiki and Ivanka and was our sixth place winner with 14 votes (4 percent).
Vote for a chess game
In 2013 the Chessmen Museum will organize another design competition and as a visitor you can be the judge of the submitted chess games. The artifacts will be shown for the first time during the reopening of the Chessmen Museum during Rotterdam Museum Night 2013, on the 9th of March. From then on, all visitors of the Chessmen Museum will be able to cast their vote until the 29th of December 2013.
By Ridder Dijkshoorn
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