Jews are not especially distinguished in physical sports, but they've always punished at the intellectual ones - especially chess. The ancient game, wildly popular over the last century and a half among the Jews of Europe and one of the few secular pursuits widely embraced by Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodoxy, boasts a roster of all-time champions that's fully 45% Semitic - including the late, awkwardly Jew-hating wackjob Bobby Fischer. 

So it's only fitting that the Jewish capital should play host to the International Chess Festival, a whole month's worth of chess events in Safra Square drawing champions and amateurs from all over the world. The opening event was held yesterday, a day of competition and clowning highlighted by a match-up on a colossal board between Mayor Uri Lupolianski and some adorable checkmating children (pictured above).

If you'd like to witness, or even go up against, Israel's reigning shachmat masters - or you just want to to get your kids into more intellectual pursuits - check out the full schedule of the Chess Festival. It's cerebral fun for the whole family.

Image courtesy of Uriah Tadmor and the Jerusalem Municipality.