SR0309 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0309 LRB098 12109 GRL 45956 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The history of chess spans more than 1,500 years, and the earliest predecessors of the game originated in India, before the 6th century AD; from India, the game spread to the Middle East and subsequently expanded to Southern Europe; in Europe, chess evolved into roughly its current form in the 15th century; and

WHEREAS, Chess is a recognized sport of the International Olympic Committee and international chess competition is sanctioned by the World Chess Federation (FIDE); and

WHEREAS, Chess is sanctioned in Illinois at the high school level by the Illinois High School Association, where an annual State tournament determines a victor; and

WHEREAS, National Chess Day is October 12, 2013; and

WHEREAS, The United States 113th Congress has recently expressed its support for the designation of St. Louis, Missouri, as the 'National Chess Capital' of the United States to enhance awareness of the educational benefits of chess and to encourage schools and community centers to engage in chess programs to promote problem-solving, critical thinking, spatial awareness, and goal setting; and

WHEREAS, The House of Representatives and the Senate of the Illinois General Assembly physically compete against each other in an annual softball game to determine the triumphant chamber, which in many of these contests the House has demonstrated its greater athletic proficiency; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we proclaim our intellectual superiority by challenging the members of the Illinois House of Representatives to a chess tournament; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Senate shall host the chess tournament and, upon acceptance of terms by the House, the results shall affirm our claims that we are the utmost mentally astute Chamber of the Illinois 98th General Assembly; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly Chess Tournament shall also be utilized to promote and enhance awareness of the educational benefits of chess among school-aged children and to encourage all schools and community centers in Illinois to engage in chess programs to promote problem-solving, critical thinking, spatial awareness, and goal setting.