Over 70 Grandmasters for Chess Festival
Super Slick Movers
words | Alice Mascarenhas
Topalov, Nakamura and Hou Yifan are just some of the names who will be participating in this year’s 13th edition of the Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival. The Festival which begins on 26th January and closes 10 days later on 5th February will see a record number of more than 70 grandmasters. Bulgaria’s Veselin Topalov is the first 2800 rated player ever to enter the Masters and will be the highest ranked competitor ever to compete on the Rock. 2005 FIDE World champion, he is currently number three in the world. The second seed at this year’s tournament is Hikaru Nakamura, the USA’s No. 1 and World’s No. 9 – he was the Gibraltar champion in 2008. Five other former Gibraltar winners have also signed up, including seven-times Russian Champion, Peter Svidler, and England’s former World Championship finalist, Nigel Short. So Gibraltar’s top international event, the Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, in its 13th edition is expected to be the strongest tournament yet. Another celebrity entrant is China’s Hou Yifan, 20 years’ old, and reigning Women’s World Champion. This will be Yifan’s second visit to Gibraltar; in 2012 she sensationally tied for first place, beating Judit Polgar on the way. Hou Yifan says she is very excited to play in Gibraltar again after three years! “Not only because it’s a beautiful place with sea views,” she says, “but more important is that this Tournament is really well-organised and the organisers are nice, friendly and hospitable!” “We go further every years,” assures tourna-
England’s Nigel Short and Women’s World Champion Hou Yifan in Gibraltar
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ment director Stuart Conquest. “With the support of our sponsors we can consolidate our global position as number one. The world’s very best players can be targeted.” He has no doubt that chess fans will want to come and see them. Already, he points out, people are calling “playing in Gibraltar part of their chess education”. Emails are received from all over the world. “For a lot of people from overseas their only knowledge of Gibraltar is through chess. Think James Humphreys, Chairman of Tradewise with 2014 of the three Mongolians who made the trip last winner Ivan Cheparinov year (two of whom are returning in January): they will have returned to their country full of promises the 2015 edition will be bigger and positive reports. You might think of chess as better than previous years with the talent in one of Gibraltar’s leading exports,” he adds. attendance hitting records levels. James Humphreys, Chairman of Tradewise, “I am very biased but believe me we’re in for some of the best this year with some of the greatest innovation in serious chess fun on The Festival which the planet! Solid as the Rock of Gibraltar, the Tradewise Chess Festival, more than a Capital begins on 26th January City of Chess, a fitting fortress for the greatest and closes 10 days later war game ever,” he says. Across all five events this year, the total numon 5th February will ber of participants is expected to be not less than 350. Already players from 51 countries see a record number have signed up. Of special note is the continof more than 70 gent from India, with 17 entrants, of whom 15 are grandmasters. As well as UK and Spain, grandmasters other countries in the leader board of numbers of participants are Germany, Norway, The Netherlands, Sweden, USA, Canada, Israel, Nigeria and Brazil. It is thanks to the sustained financial support of all the Sponsors, that the 2015 prize fund of £175,000 is the highest yet in a series which stretches back to the inaugural event in 2003. Sponsor loyalty for Gibraltar Chess has been remarkable, thanks to Tradewise Insurance Co. Ltd., Gibtelecom, Saccone & Speed (Gibraltar) ltd., Gibraltar Sports & Leisure Authority, The Caleta Hotel, Deloittes, Casais (Gibraltar) Ltd., Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch, PKF Canillas, Bentley Property Services Ltd., Isolas, bwin-party and Anglo Hispano Co. Ltd. Once again the organisers plan a full social programme for players with special events planned for almost every evening, including the Battle of the Sexes, now in its 3rd year and which takes place on Saturday 31 January. Followed by thousands on the internet, live commentaries to the 2015 Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Masters will feature a new line-up, with English grandmaster Simon Williams joined
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2015
15/12/2014 12:23