Jan 27 - Tradewise Chess Festival Kicks Off At Caleta Hotel
The Caleta Hotel was buzzing last night as some 300 chess players gathered for the opening ceremony of the 2015 Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival. There was excitement in the air as the first of the pairings was drawn determining who would play the top seed in this year’s tournament, and the top rated player in the history of the festival, World No. 4 Veselin Topalov.
This was day one of the festival and all day chess players had been arriving in a sunny Gibraltar more reminiscent of a day in the middle of summer than a winter’s day.
In a busy opening, bursting with anticipation, it was Miss Gibraltar in the presence of Sport, Culture and Heritage Minister Steven Linares at the Opening Ceremony of the 2015 festival who drew the pairings for the top boards in the first round.
“Yes, you are playing white,” a smiling Miss Gibraltar Shyanne Azzopardi, told him as he held his white piece in his hand and she drew the name of his first opponent in this festival.
Minister Steven Linares was thrilled to be back to welcome all the players to Gibraltar “those who have annually been coming to this tournament and to those who are here for the first time.”
“Again chess comes to Gibraltar. No.13. I am proud to say that this is one of the best organised tournaments in the world,” he said.
“I am privileged to see so many high ranking chess players playing on the Rock which goes to show the importance of the ‘strong open’ event that has been created in Gibraltar.”
The Gibraltar Masters starts at 3pm (Gibraltar time) and the action will be going live from the studio with Grandmaster Simon Williams and International Master Elisabeth Pähtz. There are more than 250 chess players in the Gibraltar Masters this year with over 370 playing in all three tournaments. Once again some 60 countries are being represented.
Top pic: “You are playing white in Round 1,” Miss Gibraltar 2014 Shyanne Azzopardi told World No.4 Veselin Topalov as she drew the pairs in the opening ceremony.
Bottom pic: The top seeds in this year’s Tradewise Chess Festival Nakamura, Topalov, Hou Yifan, Miss Gibraltar 2014 Shyanne Azzopardi, tournament organiser Brian Callaghan and Gibraltar’s Sport, Culture and Heritage Minister Steven Linares.
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