โช๏ธ The most unusual chess tournaments โ๏ธ
Hello again, dear readers! And here is my new blog!
The other day I was looking at my trophies, reviewing photos from tournaments. Yes, it is an interesting and cool activity, because these are memories. So, I realized that all my tournaments are quite boring and monotonous. They were held in the most ordinary locations. Well, for example: a huge conference hall, a local federation base, a library (yes, when there are too many participants we play in the library, because there are long tables and a very convenient place to hold competitions), a football field (yes, that's right - a football field), a park, a beach and many other places.
Perhaps someone will say: how can a tournament on a football field be called "ordinary"?
But what if I tell you that there are more unusual tournament locations? The highest mountain on our planet, the Louvre Museum in France, the ocean and many, many more different creative places? Ha-ha and this is reality! The chance to visit, and even more so to take part in such tournaments is not great. But, do not be upset, friends! I offer you a tour of the most unusual chess tournaments of all times and nations!
Ready? Then go ahead! And here is your plane ticket. You only need to take with you a love of adventure, chess, creativity and reading too.
Chess tournament on Everest
And dear passengers and readers, our first stop will be in Nepal. Yes, the main thing you know about Nepal is this special flag ๐ณ๐ต and the highest mountain on our planet. It was here, in Nepal, that the unique Ever-Chess chess tournament took place (the last date for the tournament is May 8, 2024), which took place in the Everest base camp at an altitude of (attention!) 5360 meters. To reach the camp, the chess players had to overcome, imagine, as much as 50 kilometers and climb from 2860 meters in seven days.
The tournament was organized by the Russian Chess Federation and the 7 Summits Club, and the total prize fund was 7 million rubles (≈64,000 $ (USD)). The tournament was attended by 18 chess players from Russia and Nepal, who determined the winner according to the Swiss system. The first place was taken by Alexander Ryazantsev - Russian chess player, international grandmaster (2001). This tournament is the highest chess event in history. And we fly further!
Chess tournament in space
The Space-Earth Tournament is a historic chess game played on June 9, 1970, between astronauts in orbit and chess players on Earth. This game was the first ever chess game played in space, highlighting not only the development of technology, but also the important role of chess in space missions.
ะขhe players on the "space" side were Soviet cosmonauts Andrian Nikolaev and Vitaly Sevastyanov, who were aboard the Soyuz-9 spacecraft in Earth orbit. Their opponents on the "earth" side were members of the ground control center - experienced chess players, including a coach. The game was played via radio, and the time of each move of the cosmonauts was limited by the need to take into account their work schedule in orbit.
In the end, the game ended in a draw after 35 moves, which symbolized the friendship and mutual understanding between space and Earth. The event became an important milestone in history and a reminder of the human capacity to play and think even in the most extreme conditions.
And here is the same game that ended in a draw with the consent of the chess players.
Chess tournament in museum
Have you heard about the tournament in the museum? Yes, there is one! The Alekhine Memorial 2013 is an international chess tournament held in honor of Alexander Alekhine, an outstanding Russian chess player and the fourth world champion. This tournament brought together 10 leading chess players in the world and was held in two stages: from April 20 to 26 in Paris (France) and from April 26 to May 2 in St. Petersburg (Russia).
The prize fund was €100,000.
Tournament participants: Among the tournament participants were such famous grandmasters as Vladimir Kramnik, Levon Aronian, Viswanathan Anand, Boris Gelfand and others. The tournament was held in a round robin system, where each participant played with everyone else.
As a result of the tournament, Levon Aronian took first place, Boris Gelfand came in second, and Vladimir Kramnik closed out the top three.
Chess tournament underwater
What about diving? Yes, there have been competitions underwater! The last time the World Diving Chess Championship was held was on August 13, 2023, in London, at the Leonardo Royal Hotel. In this unusual competition, chess is played underwater, and participants can only make moves while holding their breath, diving into the pool. Well, I know for sure that this is not for me. In addition to the fact that I am a bad swimmer, I also cannot hold my breath for a long time. Although for many, this type of chess may seem interesting. And why not? It is fun and stunning.
Last year, the winner was Michal Mazurkiewicz, who defended his champion title, winning three victories and playing one draw. The women's tournament was won by Malgorzata Bebnik, who took part in this sport for the first time. Other winners included Ethan Ilfeld and Jonathan Payne (silver), and James Heppell and Jack Sheard (bronze). Would you like to give it a go?
Aeroflot open or a chess tournament on board an airplane
Dear passengers and readers, do you think that the human mind has not thought of holding a tournament on board an airplane? Of course, there is one! The Aeroflot Open chess tournament is one of the most prestigious open chess competitions, which has been held since 2002 in Moscow with the support of Aeroflot Airlines. This tournament attracts chess players of different levels from all over the world, from grandmasters to young promising players. Aeroflot Open is known for the fact that many grandmasters participate in it, including world champions and international masters. This makes the tournament extremely competitive. The tournament is divided into several groups (usually three - A, B and C), depending on the rating of the participants. Group A gathers the strongest players with a rating above 2550 Elo, and other groups are intended for less titled chess players.
I would also like to note that the tournament has one of the largest prize funds among open chess tournaments. In 2020, the prize fund was about €140,000, which attracts the best chess players.The tournament plays an important role in the chess culture of Russia and the world, providing a platform for young chess players to make a name for themselves and improve their rating. Thanks to its high level of organization and strong lineup of participants, the Aeroflot Open has become an important part of the international chess calendar.
Dear passengers, our excursion has come to an end. I hope that you enjoyed diving into the world of chess with me, exploring the most amazing tournaments in history. We visited the highest point of our planet - Mount Everest, went into space and flew around the globe, visited museums where art is combined with chess traditions, dived underwater and, of course, flew. I think that you learned something new and interesting for yourself! And on this I say goodbye to you! But not for long! Thank you for reading this blog and until next time, friends!
