We hear about the oppressive boredom faced by our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. They can't go into town between patrols because of the terrorists. Becauase their deployment is temporary, their bases do not have the recreational amenities of stateside military bases.

What we take for granted, like TV, concerts, Game Boys, movies, etc., are scarce or unavailable over there. A soldier may find it hard even to find batteries for his radio.

The job of garrisoning a country on its road to democracy can get boring. And the better the job they do, the more boring it will get. With the stress of a hidden enemy who can strike any time, quiet relaxation becomes more important for morale.

We can't help them with the fighting, but we can help lift their spirits in between. This website is dedicated to doing that in a wholesome way that builds minds while it builds morale. Chess has been a soldier's game for a thousand years, and our mission is to put free chess sets in the hands of our troops.

You can help by donating chess sets and money for the postage to get it over there.

[Note: Chess originated among Arabs and therefore Iraqis are fond of playing. We tell the troops that they are free to give the donated chess sets to the locals if they feel the good will gained is more important than to play a game themselves. Each chess set is labeled as a gift from the people of the USA. We hope to provide the troops with enough chess sets that they can use some to build good will, and some to play.]