Comments on: Agitators, Engineers Are Chessmen (Mar, 1934) http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/10/26/agitators-engineers-are-chessmen/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:19:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Sandra http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/10/26/agitators-engineers-are-chessmen/comment-page-1/#comment-1073531 Sandra Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:42:41 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=8343#comment-1073531 It’s 10×10. It’s 10×10.

]]> By: John Savard http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/10/26/agitators-engineers-are-chessmen/comment-page-1/#comment-1072145 John Savard Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:16:44 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=8343#comment-1072145 At least the rules for a game with the same name were copyrighted in that year. It might be a game more likely to be mistaken for a puzzle than a chess variant would be. But you are right that this is a strong indicator of American, rather than Soviet, origins. I'm going to look for my copy of D. B. Pritchard's Encyclopedia of Chess Variants to see if I can find it there. At least the rules for a game with the same name were copyrighted in that year. It might be a game more likely to be mistaken for a puzzle than a chess variant would be. But you are right that this is a strong indicator of American, rather than Soviet, origins. I’m going to look for my copy of D. B. Pritchard’s Encyclopedia of Chess Variants to see if I can find it there.

]]> By: Firebrand38 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/10/26/agitators-engineers-are-chessmen/comment-page-1/#comment-1072142 Firebrand38 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:21:47 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=8343#comment-1072142 John Savard: Can't speak to the origins but it was copyrighted with the Library of Congress. Any DC bloggers want to look into this at the LOC? I used Babelfish to get a Russian to English translation of "nira" and came up with no such word. John Savard: Can’t speak to the origins but it was copyrighted with the Library of Congress. Any DC bloggers want to look into this at the LOC?

I used Babelfish to get a Russian to English translation of “nira” and came up with no such word.

]]> By: John Savard http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/10/26/agitators-engineers-are-chessmen/comment-page-1/#comment-1072137 John Savard Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:52:03 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=8343#comment-1072137 I would suspect that rather than a game of U.S. origin inspired by the National Industrial Recovery Act, that this game likely came from the Soviet Union. There were a number of Chess variants from there during that period, some with propaganda themes, some with military themes, some that mixed Chess with Checkers. I would suspect that rather than a game of U.S. origin inspired by the National Industrial Recovery Act, that this game likely came from the Soviet Union. There were a number of Chess variants from there during that period, some with propaganda themes, some with military themes, some that mixed Chess with Checkers.

]]> By: mike http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/10/26/agitators-engineers-are-chessmen/comment-page-1/#comment-1072108 mike Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:28:35 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=8343#comment-1072108 "one neutral piece called Government" (snicker) “one neutral piece called Government”

(snicker)

]]> By: Firebrand38 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/10/26/agitators-engineers-are-chessmen/comment-page-1/#comment-1072099 Firebrand38 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:22:18 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=8343#comment-1072099 Richard, you might start with this entry in the US Copyright registry http://books.google.com/books?id=PVZbAAAAIAAJ&dq=game%20nira%201934&as_brr=1&pg=RA1-PA670#v=onepage&q=game%20nira%201934&f=false N.C.A Enterprise on April 1934 copyrighted a booklet titled "Nira is a game - not a puzzle!" Richard, you might start with this entry in the US Copyright registry http://books.google.com/books?.....38;f=false

N.C.A Enterprise on April 1934 copyrighted a booklet titled “Nira is a game – not a puzzle!”

]]> By: Firebrand38 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/10/26/agitators-engineers-are-chessmen/comment-page-1/#comment-1072098 Firebrand38 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:16:27 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=8343#comment-1072098 The interesting thing is that as of June 1933, "Nira" was actually an acronym NIRA for National Industrial Recovery Act until May 1935 when the Supreme Court ruled parts of it as being unconstitutional. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Industrial_Recovery_Act I don't think it's a coincidence. The interesting thing is that as of June 1933, “Nira” was actually an acronym NIRA for National Industrial Recovery Act until May 1935 when the Supreme Court ruled parts of it as being unconstitutional.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N.....covery_Act

I don’t think it’s a coincidence.

]]> By: Richard http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/10/26/agitators-engineers-are-chessmen/comment-page-1/#comment-1072097 Richard Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:49:44 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=8343#comment-1072097 I'd love to get hold of a copy of that... I like chess and that variant looks like fun - even if it would piss off the purists. You realise you've just set a man on a mission, don't you? :-) I’d love to get hold of a copy of that… I like chess and that variant looks like fun – even if it would piss off the purists.

You realise you’ve just set a man on a mission, don’t you? :-)

]]> By: Josh http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/10/26/agitators-engineers-are-chessmen/comment-page-1/#comment-1072096 Josh Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:34:17 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=8343#comment-1072096 Does it happen to get in to the rules of this variant? Does it happen to get in to the rules of this variant?

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