The term CHAMP CHESS is composed of two words, TAL (3 letters) and ASHE (4 letters). TAL is a reference to the Latvian-born Soviet grandmaster Mikhail Tal, who was world chess champion from 1960 to 1961. He was known for his aggressive attacking style and was nicknamed 'The Magician from Riga'. Ashe is a reference to the American tennis player Arthur Ashe, who was the first African American to win the men's singles title at Wimbledon in 1975. He was also the first African American to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Both Tal and Ashe are considered champions in their respective sports.