Largest concentration of women
23 enero 2012 | Por Redacción | Categoria: Ajedrez, Otros DeportesLargest concentration of women
22.01.12 – Stuart Conquest Director of the 2012 Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, scheduled to begin this week, believes the tournament in its 10th edition will see the largest concentration of women chess players ever in a mixed event. He writes: ‘The greatest ever gathering of female chess players in a mixed event takes place on the Rock in a week’s time. Never before have so many of the world’s top women joined leading male players to compete in the same tournament’.
Led by the brilliant Judit Polgar, the youngest of the three Hungarian sisters who between them broke every chess record in the books, this year’s female contingent includes champion players from China, India, Russia, the Ukraine, and the USA.
All eyes will be on the reigning Women’s World Champion, 17 year-old Hou Yifan, coming to Gibraltar for the first time. Indian sensation Humpy Koneru will be keen to score well – if things go her way she could take home the special £5,000 Commonwealth prize. Anna Muzychuk, from Slovakia, has been in scintillating form lately, and looks a good bet for a high placing.
Other female stars to follow include former World Champions Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria) and Zhu Chen (Qatar), former European Champion Pia Cramling, and American rivals Irina Krush and Anna Zatonskih.
From Georgia, a nation famous for its support of women’s chess, come four top players, including last year’s joint female winners: Nana Dzagnidze and Salome Melia. Let’s also not forget British Women’s champion Jovanka Houska, who in December recorded a career-best performance at the London Chess Classic.
As well as the elite women players, many lesser-ranked females are coming to the Rock too, eager to show the men a thing or two. We have women entrants from Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Montenegro and France, as well as from further afield: Chile and Pakistan are both sending players. The men had better watch out: the chess world’s best females are coming this way, and they aren’t just coming for fun – they are here on business, and that can only mean one thing: to win.
Things are shaping up
22.01.12 – The entry lists have been updated for Masters, Challengers 1 & 2 and Amateurs 1.
The 2012 tournament will be stronger than ever before and enjoyed by a huge internet audience, thanks to Gibtelecom’s innovative technology and the unique, built-for-purpose webcasting suite installed at the Caleta Hotel.
Gibraltar Chess 10th Anniversary Stamps
17.01.12 – Gibraltar postage stamps have always played a very important role in marking anniversaries, commemorating outstanding accomplishments and documenting local and international events.
The Gibraltar Chess Festival in its tenth edition has now firmly established itself as the most prestigious open tournament in the world therefore becoming one of Gibraltar’s most important sporting events of all time. Gibraltar is therefore delighted to pay tribute to the Festival with the issue of a set of Gibraltar stamps that have been officially approved by the Gibraltar Government and Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II.
RECORD NUMBERS FOR 2012 TRADEWISE GIBRALTAR CHESS FESTIVAL
10 days of Chess 24th January to 2nd February, 2012
It is now official! Every chess player in the world wants to play in Gibraltar this year to celebrate 10 years of chess. The popularity and over subscription of the 2012 Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival Masters tournament has meant that organisers have had to close the Masters tournament to any further entries.
The record number of entries and its overall success is a reaffirmation that the tournament in its tenth edition will be the most important open tournament in the world. It boasts the participation of 57 Grand Masters, 11 of which are rated 2700 or over, attracting some of major names in both the men’s and the women’s game with a total of 240 players competing in the 2012 Gibraltar Masters. This is a record on both counts for Gibraltar.
The Amateur and Challenger tournaments played simultaneously remain as popular as ever and entries are still being taken for these.
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| Tournament OrganiserBrian Callaghan OBE |
Organiser Brian Callaghan, who received an OBE in the New Year’s honours list appointed by Her Majesty The Queen for his services to tourism and chess (see below), is delighted with the growth and success of the festival. «I am ready to welcome all the top chess players in the world to our tournament at the end of this month, and looking forward to the best 10 days of chess yet. It is indeed an honour to be hosting the 10th edition of the festival in Gibraltar, important too because it falls in the Diamond Jubilee year,» he said.
The 2012 tournament promises to be stronger than ever before and will be enjoyed by a huge internet audience, thanks to Gibtelecom’s innovative technology and the unique, built-for-purpose webcasting suite installed at the Caleta Hotel. Hosting the broadcasts this year is Macauley Peterson, a freelance mediamaker. He was voted 2008 «Chess Journalist of the Year» by the Chess Journalists of America, and has written in Chess Life, Chess Life Online (U.S.A.), New in Chess (Netherlands), «64» (Russia), Chess (U.K.), and elsewhere.
CALLAGHAN RECEIVES AN OBE
Her Majesty The Queen appointed Brian Callaghan to be Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire («OBE») for services to tourism and chess. Brian Callaghan is the driving force behind the Gibraltar Chess Festival, which will shortly celebrate its 10th anniversary and now attracts 300 players from over 40 countries, including some 50 grand masters. He is also a former Deputy Chairman of the Gibraltar Heritage Trust.
Make a note in your diary …
| Masters (Open to all): | Tues 24 January – Thurs 2 February | (10-round Swiss, FIDE rated) |
| Challengers A (Under 2250): | Mon 23 January – Fri 27 January | (5-round, Swiss, FIDE rated) |
| Challengers B (Under 2250): | Sat 28 January – Wed 1 February | (5-round, Swiss, FIDE rated) |
| Amateurs A (Under 1800): | Mon 23 January – Fri 27 January | (5-round, Swiss, FIDE rated) |
| Amateurs B (Under 1800): | Sat 28 January – Wed 1 February | (5-round, Swiss, FIDE rated) |
Play starts every morning at 10am. The Masters start every afternoon at 3pm.
Alice Mascarenhas, Chess Press Officer
Steve Connor, Webmaster
| Download this press release | Word |
www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/
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