Battle on the Board

World War II wasn't an off-to-the-margins conflict that affected primarily young working-class men and women. This blowup was colossal. Besides the terror of actual combat, there were hours of stultifying, anxious downtime. What to do with all those empty hours in the pre-TV, pre-Internet age? The soldier's friend, chess, filled the need. A new exhibit at the World Chess Hall of Fame (4652 Maryland Avenue; 314-367-9243 or www.worldchesshof.org) illuminates this facet of chess' history. Battle on the Board: Chess During World War II lends insight into chess' therapeutic value for military members and includes POW chess sets from the collections of the National Museum of the Marine Corps and the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The exhibition is open Tuesday through Sunday through January 17, 2016. Admission is free but donations are appreciated.