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Frascati is an attractive historic hilltowns to the southeast of Rome. There a "Chess Week" was held, from May 20 to 29. For the inauguration former world champion Boris Spassky was present, then came a GM tournament, which was sensationally won by a rejuvenated FM. Links to the reports on these events are given at the bottom of the page.
On the second Sunday in Frascati there was a simultaneous exhibition in the beautiful Frascati St. Peter's Square, in the morning of a bright hot sunny day.
The St. Peter's Square Cathedral
... with the beautiful "fontana" on the square in front of it
The main 'promenade' street in Frascati
Correspondence chess masters ready to play against the Russian champion
Waiting for the simultaneous master to arrive
At last the grandmaster has arrived to play us all
And there he is, a portly, balding gentleman in a worn-down suit, with thick
horn-rimmed glasses – yes, that's the way it used to be. This is what
we get today!
Grandmaster and Russian Women's Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk is introduced
by Frascati's Vice Major, Mr. Marcotulli
And the battles can begin...
Twenty strong opponents, all masters of the ASIGC (Italian Correspondence Chess
Association)
And guess how the lady in the stylishly patched jeans fared against the correspondence chess professionals. "The result was as bright and marvellous as the weather," writes our correspondent. "Beautiful Alexandra easily won 15 games and drew five, all in just two hours time. She's really beautiful not only from the outside!"
Signing books and memorabilia after the simul
A group picture of the simultaneous master and the twenty pupils on the Cathedral
stairs
The master with her pupils
And one more, in front of the fontana
And now the photographed becomes the photographer
Alexandra with her digital camera, on the prowl in Frascati
A break for lunch in a Frascati 'trattorie' with good food and wine!
Refreshed and changed for the afternoon festivities
Here's the bad news: Alexandra is hitched. That's her husband, Diego Garces.
Alexandra and Diego with the Italian Montecatini's Tournament organizer,
Rodolfo Bigagli and his wife
Meeting the chess children of Frascati
... and posing with their delighted mothers
With Playchess SysOp Andrea Natoli, a.k.a. 'Torero Ole Ole', and girlfriend
Rosaura from Venezuela
With the GM Tournament winner Fabio Bruno and Province of Rome President
Vincenzo Vita
"It was an incredible week and an incredible day," writes our correspondent Roberto Balzan, "with only good news for Italian chess, for players and fans, in a beautiful little city of the 'Castelli Romani'. Thanks very much Alexandra for coming, hope to see you soon again, very soon!"
All pictures by Roberto Balzan
