When I was a soldier in Italy, one of the intriguing ?Tours? the USO takes soldiers on every two years is the chess game in nearby Marostica, located in the foothills, just half an hour's drive from Vicenza. Marostica is surrounded by ancient walls of its castles.

Every September of an even numbered year, this human chess game is played on the square of Marostica. It occurs every second Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

When I was there, we soldiers were both excited and frustrated since the game is announced only in Italian [we all learned to speak some Italian by our 4th month ?In country.? This game also caused a disillusioned ?Ahhh? when the victor checkmated his foe in twelve minutes! We did not return the next day.

?The story of the Chess Game dates back to 1454 when Marostica belonged to the Venetian Republic.

?It happened that two nobleman, Rinaldo D'Angarano and Vieri da Vallonara, fell in love with the beautiful Lionora, daughter of Taddeo Parisio, the Lord of Marostica's castle. As was the custom in that time, they challenged each other to a duel to win the hand of Lionora.

?The Lord, not wanting to make an enemy of either suitor or lose them in a duel, forbade the encounter in conformity with Venetian Law.

?He decided the two rivals should play a chess game: Lionora would take the winner as her husband. He furthermore decided that the loser would in any case join his family, marrying Oldrada, the younger sister.

?The game took place on the square in front of the Lower Castle, with armed living persons carrying the ensigns of Whites and Blacks. It played in the presence of the Lord, his daughter, the Lords of Angarano and Vallonara, the noble court, and the entire population.

?The Lord also decided the challenge should be honored by an exhibition of armed men, with fireworks and dances and sounds.

?So the armed men entered the field: archers and halberdiers, foot?soldiers and knights. Then came the Lord and his court with an anxious Lionora, who was secretly in love with one of the two rivals. With them were Lionora's faithful nurse, noblemen and their ladies, the herald, the master of arms, falconers, pageboys, maidens, standard holders, musicians, farmers and their wives; the Whites and Blacks with their kings and queens, rooks and knights, bishops and pawns: and the two suitors, who decided the moves.

?After the victory, fireworks and music were offered according to the Lord's orders. As Lady Lionora had secretly informed the population, should the winner be her beloved, the Lower Castle would be illuminated by white light, so that everybody could share their joy.

?This event is repeated just like the first time, in a framework of sumptuous costumes, multi?color banners, martial parades, exquisite elegance.

?The orders are still given to characters and cast today in the dialect of the "Serenissima Republic of Venezia."

I was stationed with the 560th Signal Battalion when I was stationed in Vicenza, in February, 1965, where the US special forces houses a battalion today.

I strongly suggest visitors to Italy visit both the fort, and Marostica to see the Chess game, and Venezia, the city surrounded by canals and gondoliers!