Jan 30 - Minister Costa hosts Chess dinner in St Michael's Cave
One of Gibraltar's top tourist attractions, St Michael's Cave, a large cave of natural beauty inside the rock was the venue for one of the main social events of this year’s 2014 Tradewise Chess Festival. Gibraltar’s Minister for Tourism, Commercial Affairs, Public Transport and the Port, Neil Costa, hosted a dinner in this beautiful and unique setting in the Cathedral Chamber of St Michael’s Cave located within the Upper Rock Nature Reserve.
The Cathedral Cave opened to visitors has since the 1960’s been used as an auditorium with a seating capacity of 400 and has staged countless classical and rock concerts and large drama, musicals and dance productions and Son et Lumière shows. On many occasions it has been the setting for the Miss Gibraltar Pageants and the Gibraltar Song Festival.
In his address Minister Costa spoke of how prestigious it was for Gibraltar to host the most important open chess tournament in the world in its shores.
In paying tribute to tournament organiser, Brian Callaghan, he thanked him for coming up with the idea and bringing the festival to Gibraltar.
“Brian’s idea that such an event attracts people to our shores is a win formula and on that basis we have started the International Literary Festival, Jazz Festival and Strongman competition, and other singular events that allow us to showcase our country,” said the Minster.
Brian Callaghan in his address to the large gathering of invited chess players announced that for the second year running the Association of Chess Professionals had voted Tradewise the best open tournament in the world.
“This accolade somehow recognizes and rewards all the hard work and effort Gibraltar puts into this tournament and I wanted to thank all those chess players who voted for Gibraltar.”
Mr Callaghan affirmed 2014 was the strongest tournament so far with an average rating of 2,716 for the top 12 Grand Masters. It can also boast the record number of female players and more than 60 federations including for the first time: Mongolia, Bangladesh and the Philippines.
Mr Callaghan was keen to emphasise that none of this would be possible without the amazing sponsors’ team, led by James Humphreys, chairman of Tradewise Insurance. Most of the sponsors have been associated with the festival from the start: Deloitte, Casais, the Gibraltar Sports & Leisure Authority, Anglo Hispano Co. Ltd, Gibtelecom, Saccone & Speed, Lombard Odier , Bentley Property Services, Bwin Party, Canillas and Isolas.
In response, and representing the players, top chess journalist, Leontxo Garcia, spoke of the benefits of chess as a very powerful educational tool. He praised the magnificent organisation.
He said: “I am not talking only about how well this Tradewise chess congress is organised from the technical point of view, but also about the social atmosphere around the tournaments, and the parallel activities. For this reason, I think this is the world’s best organised chess festival. This is not just my personal opinion, but the general opinion. And this wonderful evening in such a splendid surrounding is a clear example of it.”
The evening was filled with music provided by the band of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and the Corps of Drums who gave a magnificent display. As the night began there was a guard of honour provided by the members of the Gibraltar Re-enactment Association.
Photos by Sophie Triay
