Almost 500 chess players from over 40 countries are arriving in Torrevieja for an International tournament that gets underway on Wednesday at the “Tavi y Carmona” Sports Palace.
Details of the VI Torrevieja Holy Week International Chess Open were announced on Monday morning at a press conference held by Torrevieja’s councillor for sport, Diana Box, together with the president of the Dama Negra Chess Club, the pro of the Spanish Chess Federation (FEDA), Patricia Claros Aguilar, Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli, current champion of Spain and twice Continental Chess Champion, and the president of the Capablanca Torrevieja Club, Alexander Nazarov.
The prizes amount to a total of 13,000 euros, with 2,500 euros and a trophy to the winner.
In addition to almost 500 competitors, a total of 3,000 people including family, friends and chess fans will attend the event. This will double the highest number of players ever to take part in the edition, when the IV Alicante International Open attracted 234 chess players. The event will even have more players than the last European Championship held in Slovenia, where there were 300 competitors. Of the 470 chess players, 61 will be women.
In addition to the International Chess Open, several parallel activities have been scheduled, including the conference tomorrow, Tuesday, April 12, at 4:00 p.m., at the Virgen del Carmen Cultural Center, by the renowned presenter, commentator and specialised Spanish journalist in chess, Leontxo García, under the title “Chess teaches how to think”.
Also, that same day, at 6:00 p.m., two international chess grandmasters, who will take part in the Torrevieja Open, Pepe Cuenca and Iván Salgado, will play simultaneous Chess at the Virgen del Carmen Cultural Center with 40 chess players.
