 History |
The Curaçao Chess Festival was initiated in 2001 by the Curaçao Chess Players’ Foundation in a new set up for the international chess tournaments that the CCPF had organized since 1993. International grandmasters and masters were invited to come to Curaçao to participate. The first Curaçao Chess Festival was held in the Van der Valk Plaza hotel, in the same hotel where the 1962 candidate tournament was held, which was then part of the Intercontinental hotel chain. Famous grandmasters, such as Bobby Fischer*, Tigran Petrosjan, Michael Tal, Paul Keres and Viktor Kortsnoj played in that memorable tournament for the right to play the world champ (at that time Michael Botvinnik).
Invitations were sent to a number of grandmasters to relive this experience in the same hotel and Caribbean environment. Sponsors were successfully approached to help finance this ambitious endeavor and the result was a splendid tournament with delighted players, sponsors and organizers. The next year, however, differences of view caused a rift in the organizational committee and another chess organization was founded with the same objectives for international chess tournaments. As a result Curaçao counted with two international chess tournaments in 2003 and 2004. Chess grandmaster Alex Shabalov, who is now a fan of the tournament, observed that usually, conflicts lead to no tournaments at all being realized, but here, to the delight of the chess players, they get two tournaments. Fortunately for all, in 2006 the conflict had ebbed away and harmony was restored. As a result the full organizational resources of Curaçao again work together in sustaining the Curaçao Chess Festival. The tournaments have attracted an appreciable number of international grandmasters, international masters and national chess champions from the region and internationally to Curaçao. The combination of high quality chess in a tourist resort, together with the Curaçao hospitality has appealed to all the players from within and outside the region. The players bring a world of experience of all nature with them that gives an extra dimension to the tournament.
* Bobby Fischer died on January 17, 2008 in Reyjavik at the age of 64; many grandmasters consider him the greatest chess player of all times. |
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| Experience the festival & Curaçao |
| The participants in the Curaçao Chess Festival can enjoy all the pleasures a major tourist destination offers to its visitors. Curaçao has a warm, sunny climate year round. The average temperature is about 27 EC (in the mid 80's EF). Cooling trade winds blow constantly from the east. There is plenty of time during the tournament to engage in tennis, water sports such as swimming in the blue Caribbean Sea or the hotel swimming pool, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, golfing or whatever other activity you may want to indulge in. If the time is too short during the tournament, you can, of course, come earlier or extend your stay. Check out the facilities and amenities at hotel Superclubs Breezes, where the tournament is held, visit the internet site of the Curaçao Tourist Board www.curacao.com or do a search for Curaçao plus your favorite activity, e.g. Curaçao golfing, Curaçao sailing or Curaçao fishing. You will find many attractive suggestions to choose from. |
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| Foundation & Organizing Commitee |
| The Curaçao Chess Players Foundation (CCPF) was established on 4 November 1988; its main objective is to organize international chess tournaments as a means to enhance the standard of chess in Curaçao. In 1993 CCPF organized its first international chess tournament , featuring a youth group and an open group, which has now become the Curaçao Chess Festival. The games are registered at the International Chess Federation FIDE and follow the FIDE guidelines. |
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Curaçao Chess Players’ Foundation
Ludwig Abad, Chairman
Alvin Smith, Treasurer
Denzil Philips, Secretary
Organizing Committee
Alvin Smith, Tournament director
Jimmy Izijk, Chairman
Quirino Richardson, Vice-chairman & PR
Fabio Mensing, Liaison Officer
Gerjan Meijer, Collaborator
Alex Roose, Collaborator Special Events
Denzil Philips, IT-Manager / Webmaster
Ard van Beek, Editor
Gilda Zalm, Assistant
Seydi Salim-Moussa, Assistant
Gregory Ruiz, Assistant
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