Vlastimil Chládek
ředitel Dopravních staveb Brno
U Pásků
Michal Špaček
Amatérský šachista, profesionální ekonom
Z Trenčína do Prahy
Luděk Sedlák
skladatel studií a vydavatel Šemíka
Životní partie pod hlavněmi tanků
David Navara
nejlepší český šachista
Gibraltar 2018 aneb Buď zDRAW!
Vlado Hrtko
Manažer se smyslem pro černý humor
Keď chceš Boha rozosmiať, povedz mu svoje plány
Štěpán Žilka
šachový mezinárodní mistr
Just another day at the office
Otakar Válek
ředitel strojírenské firmy
Olympiáda
Robert Cvek
šachový velmistr
Mistrovství České republiky z pohledu trenéra
Pavel Matocha
předseda Pražské šachové společnosti
Simultánky s Garrim
Ján Markoš
nejlepší slovenský šachista a teolog
Šedá zóna
David Kaňovský
šachový mezinárodní mistr
Mistrovství světa v Agricole aneb od šachovnice k ovečk...
Martin Habina
architekt
Pyramida
Igor Němec
předseda Úřadu na ochranu osobních údajů
Šachy s prezidentským kandidátem
Václav Klaus
Ředitel gymnázia
Nejhorší na světě je prohrát šachovou partii
Jan Hofírek
otec a trenér
Napoleon Bonaparte a šachy...
Vítězslav Houška
spisovatel a publicista
Slet šachových celebrit na Kampě
Soňa Pertlová
šachová mezinárodní mistryně
PF 2011
The most beautiful studies and problems of Mario Matouš, the best Czech chess composer of the 20th century, and bizarre chess stories of Pavel Houser connected by illustrations of Kristina Peřichová into one splendid book.
The book was published also in limited numbered edition (100 copies), bound in imitation leather with an embossed diagram, paper cover and sewn ribbon bookmark.
On 240 pages you will found 45 studies and problems, 22 stories and 36 illustrations. The book is supplemented by biographies of both of the authors and several yet non-published photos. The book was published by Prague chess society in 2014.
(limited edition in imitation leather - 999 CZK + postage)
333,- Kč (+ postage)
The book can be ordered at an e-mail address pavel.matocha@gmail.com. Please give your full name, address and phone number.
[22.04.2015 00:00:00] - Extend your Chess Train trip across Central Europe by spending a few days in the Czech Republic. Everyone praises Prague for its beauties (and rightfully so), but if you would like to extend your stay in the heart of Europe by two or three days, you can treat yourself to other extraordinary experiences as well. Let us inspire you.
There are three diverse trip options which we can recommend you. The first one is the West Bohemian spas; the second one is the rocks and châteaux in the Bohemian Paradise; the third one is the small and picturesque towns on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
We will be happy to help you to with the booking of hotels, restaurants and car rentals.
West Bohemian Spas
In the west of the Czech Republic, just a two-hour drive from Prague, you can find the world-renowned spas with countless healing springs, spa promenades and buildings that still emanate the faded glory of the place. The town of Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) is named after the King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV., the history of Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad) is connected to the visits of the famous German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
You can go for a stroll on the colonnade, taste the healing springs, spend the night in the cosy Jessenius Hotel in Karlovy Vary and treat yourself to an excellent dinner in the Medité Restaurant in Mariánské Lázně, where we recommend you to make a reservation in advance.
The history of West Bohemian spas is also full of traces of many significant chess tournaments. In the case of Mariánské Lázně we should mention the 1925 tournament, where the first place was shared by Aaron Nimcovič and Akiba Rubinstein, and the World University Chess Championship, where Boris Spassky and Eduard Gufeld played for the winning Soviet Union’s team. And as for the modern history, we should not forget the remarkable Sněženky a machři (Snowdrops & Oldhands) tournaments, where promising world-class female chess players played against chess legends. Between the years 2008 and 2011, Mariánské Lázně saw some really famous names, such as grandmasters Anatoly Karpov, Viktor Korchnoi and Boris Spassky.
Karlovy Vary is even a more prominent place on the chess map; the tournaments in 1907, 1911, 1923 and 1929 hosted the then world elite, including the World champion Alexander Alekhine and his predecessor on the chess throne, José Raúl Capablanca. And a hundred years later, in 2007, Karlovy Vary hosted the most attended tournament ever in the history of the Czech Republic and Czechoslovakia, attended also by Alexei Shirov, David Navara and Jan Timman and won by Sergei Movsesian.
Rocks and Châteaux of the Bohemian Paradise
The beautiful sandstone rock formations of the Bohemian Paradise are perfect for romantic walks and hiking. Among them are scattered numerous castles and châteaux, some of them in ruins, some of them so well-preserved that you can even have lunch in them and stay overnight.
The Hrubá Skála Hotel is situated in the heart of the nature conservation area of the Bohemian Paradise and also in the original premises of the former Hrubá Skála Château, founded in 1350 by Hynek von Waldstein (under its original name Skála Castle). From the Hrubá Skála Château you can run down straight into the most beautiful parts of the Bohemian Paradise, on whose massive sandstone rocks the château is built. In the summer season, the whole château comes alive with the cultural event Experience the Middle Ages, which takes the visitors to the romantic times of jugglers, minstrels, knights and noble ladies. During this time at night, if you take a walk around the long corridors or the battlements, you might even encounter the White Lady.
The Sychrov Hotel is situated right next to the Sychrov Château from the 15th century, which is well-known for its unique and extensive art collection (it takes pride in the largest collection of French portrait paintings in Central Europe). Sychrov enchants visitors with its otherworldly romantic atmosphere, which does not stop behind the walls of the château: in the adjacent English park, full of rare trees and plants, you can admire the orangery, the Swiss-style timbered cottages, the pigeon house, the Chinese pond and the romantic ruin of Arthur’s Castle.
After your visit to the château, you can make a trip to Prachovské Rocks, cycle through the surrounding forests and enjoy a dinner in the hotel restaurant.
Historical UNESCO World Heritage Towns
If you prefer smaller towns with rich history, admire both secular and ecclesiastical sights and if you would like to see more of what the Czech Republic has to offer (apart from Prague and the well-known Karlovy Vary and Český Krumlov), make a trip to the cities of Telč and Třebíč. Thanks to their rich and unique history, which survived in the form of original historical buildings, both towns are a part of the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
The town of Telč is rightly often called “the Renaissance pearl“ of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. Its architecture shows traces of all the architectural styles of the previous millennium – from Gothic style and Renaissance to Baroque, Romanesque and Classicistic style. Thanks to its many well-preserved sights, Telč is literally a living and fascinating record of the historical events (not only) in Bohemia, as well as the lives of people who helped to shape the town. Apart from the town’s central square, lined with picturesque houses and arcade streets, we should mention the Telč Château from the 14th century, and the oldest preserved sight in Telč – the Tower of the Holy Spirit from the first half of the 13th century.
However, Telč is not famous just for its unique architecture; thanks to its rich history it is also a cultural centre of the region and hosts countless exhibitions, music and film festivals and other cultural events. And in case you would like to combine sightseeing with active recreation, the town’s surroundings will impress you just as much as the town itself. Telč is situated in an area full of ponds and forests, which is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful landscapes of the Czech Republic. The many nature trails and cycle tracks will ensure that even on your trips to the countryside you can still discover the interesting history of the region.
In close proximity of Telč, there is another important cultural centre – Třebíč. The town was founded in 1101 and like in Telč, its long history is apparent on every corner. Visitors can admire the Renaissance houses with beautiful sgraffito decorations (for example the Malovaný dům or the Černý dům), as well as the ecclesiastical buildings of European significance, such as the St. Procopius Basilica, which dates back to the very foundation of the town. Třebíč also takes pride in its significant world’s first place: its Jewish quarter is the only completely preserved Jewish quarter in Europe and the only evidence of the Jewish culture outside of Israel on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The rich history of Třebíč, connected to the House of Waldstein, is explained in detail in the expositions of the Třebíč Château, which focus not only on important sights and prominent people of the town, but also on places of interest of the surrounding landscape, which was preserved in its wild, untouched form and offers a place for relaxation and active recreation.
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