Marostica Live Chess Match

Every other year, on the even years the little city of Marostica hosts a live chess match.  Marostica is a walled city with a lower castle and an upper castle.  Visiting this darling place is an easy 20 minute drive for us and a relaxing yet active afternoon.  One Saturday last summer we climbed the trail that leads to the Upper Castle and were given a treat to some great views of the Veneto valley.  Unfortunately I don't have a single photo of that afternoon since the camera battery was dead.  I guess that just means we'll be going back again!  We also had some really yummy gelato that day so that alone is worth the trip.

So back to the chess match.  After WWI , the members of the local chess club began playing chess in the main square using people as the game pieces.  After WWII, a local comedy writer authored a play in which two nobleman fell in love with the same woman, the daughter of the local lord.  The story goes on the describe the local custom of that time was the two nobleman would challenge each other to a duel to win the hand of the lord's daughter. 

The Lord of Marostica did not want to make an enemy of either suitor or lose them in a duel so he decreed that the two rivals would play a game of chess and the winner would have the hand of his daughter.  The loser of the chess game would be rewarded with marriage to the lord's younger daughter.  So essentially they both win!  The nobleman do anyway.  I'm not sure how the daughters felt about this arrangement.

In the play the game takes place on the square in front of the Lower Castle with performances by dancers, flags (lots and lots of flags....multiples times.....over and over again), sword fighting, fireworks and the game itself.  It was great fun to see the people dressed in costumes as well as the live chess pieces themselves.

The weather was just about perfect for our evening out and my hope is that in 2014 we'll get to re-visit this event one last time.