Seventh Bangkok Chess Club Open 2007
Report by William Campi
The tournament venue is in Phuket, Thailand [image courtesy of Google
Maps]
The Bangkok Chess Club’s strongest open to date, with six GMs, six IMs,
and 16 titled players so far, will take place on one of the most spectacular
island locations in Asia, Phuket Thailand. The island is the imagination’s
ideal in beauty and tropical form. Located off the west coast of Thailand in
the Andaman Sea, Phuket is home to a rare variety of stunning limestone shoals,
coral gardens, lush rainforests and idyllic beaches.
On this large island of almost 600 sq km, rice paddies and rubber tree plantations
intermingle with ocean vistas and hilly rainforests. Coconut, tapioca, cacao,
and pineapple are harvested by the bulk and local vendors sell them cold and
fresh to order around the island. The local population of around 250,000 people
is mostly Buddhist, and in and about the grounds of grandly adorned temples,
orange-robed monks can be seen praying peacefully. Amongst the tropical fruits,
quiet contemplation and calmness of the ocean, you’d be hard pressed to
find a more tranquil location for an international chess tournament.
Nearby Phi Phi island is just a short boat ride away
Thai Style
Thailand is well-known for its fiery palette of flavors. It is not uncommon
to mix salty, spicy and sweet flavors all in one rice-based dish. When done
right, there are few countries whose cuisine can compare with the complexity
(and tastiness) of Thai food.
Traditional Thai arts are also unique in their sounds and styles. Thai dance
is an elegant art form of slow, careful movements gracefully performed to an
orchestra of wooden xylophones, gamelans, gongs, bamboo flutes and a variety
of peculiar stringed instruments. The rhythm is a rich, hypnotizing affair.
Two Thai women show off some traditional Thai dance
Is it safe?
Many people may remember that Phuket was hit by the 2004 tsunami and there
may still be a question of safety for some. However, Phuket was declared safe
to travel by the US, France, UK and Germany in early January 2006 as nearly
all of the damage has been repaired and little evidence of the tsunami’s
impact remains. In fact, there were 4.7 million tourist arrivals to the island
in 2006 which was up 87% from the year before.
The Tournament
The tournament will run from March 27th to April 1st, 2007 and players of all
strength are officially welcome! So far, the tournament has registered 130 players
from 27 different countries, including six GMs, six IMs and 16 additional titled
players. It is shaping up to be a very strong and interesting field.
The tournament is split into two groups. Group A is open to all players rated
or unrated, while Group B is only for players rated under 2000. Standard FIDE
time controls of 90 minutes plus 30 second increments will be used. Group A
will have a total 9 rounds of play and 7 rounds for group B. With two rounds
per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, the evening will be open
for players and families to relax around the island or enjoy the somewhat raucous
nightlife in Phuket City, Patong and Kata beach.
The site of the 7th Bangkok Open: the luxurious Phuket Graceland Resort
& Spa located in Patong
The resort overlooks the Andaman Sea
Graceland Resort & Spa at sundown
Dining at Graceland
The playing hall
Logistics
Getting to Phuket is fairly straightforward. Many major airlines fly direct
to Bangkok and so it is convenient for those coming from abroad to connect through
to Phuket airport (HKT). Reservations with Graceland Resort can be made through
their website www.phuketgraceland.com,
or by calling +66 (0)76 370 555. If you’re not staying at Graceland Resort,
then there are a large number of hotels of every kind to choose from in Phuket,
www.phuket-hotel.org is a recommended
site.
Sunset in Phuket – the experience of a lifetime
Registration for the tournament can be made online at www.bangkokchess.com
and we also welcome you to play in our twice weekly blitz tournaments in Bangkok
(details on the website).
Other Asia-Pacific tournaments
European players may wish to combine the Bangkok Chess Club Open with two other tournaments to form an Asia-Pacific Chess Tour – many air
tickets to Australia will include a free stopover in Bangkok.
