IV Calvia Chess Festival in Magaluf

by ChessBase
10/15/2007 – This annual event started on October 6th (with an amateur open). It is taking place in Majorca, which is part of the Balearic Islands archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. Which means the climate is balmy and the landscape lush. The big International Open begins today, with lots of grandmasters. One of them, Sergey Tiviakov of Holland, has submitted a pictorial report.

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IV Calvia Chess Festival in Magaluf, Majorca

The 4th Calvia Chess Festival is taking place in Polideportivo Municipal de Magaluf (Calvia, Mallorca, Spain) from October 6 till 24. The International Open will be held from October 15th-23th, 2007. Format: nine round Swiss; time control: 90 minutes for the game plus 30 seconds increment from move one; schedule: the rounds will begin each day at 20:30 (8.30 p.m.). Players who wish take one half point bye may do so once till the 7 round. Prize fund: 17.000 €: first 4.000 €; second 2.000 €, third 1.500 €, fourth 1.200 €, etc. up to 20th 200 €.

Magaluf is a holiday resort on the island of Majorca (Spanish: Mallorca), primarily catering for the British package holiday market. It is located in the municipality of Calvià and is situated within a group of towns, primarily Torrenova and Palma Nova. Magaluf was the venue of the World Chess Olympiad in 2004. Majorca (Spanish: Mallorca) is the largest island of Spain, located in the Mediterranean Sea and part of the Balearic Islands archipelago.

Events at the IV Calvia Chess Festival in Magaluf:

October 6 - 14 Amateur Open (for players below 2300)
October 15 - 23   International Open (for all players)
October 15 - 23 Senior (Veteran) Open
October 20 - 21 Final of the Spanish Club Championship

In the morning of each day there are blitz tournaments: during the Amateur open for the participants of the Amateur open, and during the International and Senior Open for the participants of the Veteran and Open tournaments. Besides there opens for the children U-16.


Photo impressions from Magaluf

By GM Sergey Tiviakov

Calvia is an excellent place for chess and rest. In the morning you can play blitz, in the afternoon you can sunbath and swim in the warm Mediterranean Sea, and in the evening (from 20:30) play in the open tournament. The hotel, where all participants are staying, is nice and the food is simply fantastic. After dinner you can hardly move.

I am submitting a photo report from the Amateur Open which taking place right now and lasts until October 14. Amateur opens are very popular in Spain, and a lot are organised. The most famous is in Benidorm. But the Calvia Amateur open is not too fall behind.



Capdepera, viewed from the old fortifications on top of the hill

Capdepera, a historical village near the top of Mallorca's east coast. In 1300 King Jaume II ordered the construction of a fortification that would control the uninhabited land below and the maritime routes with Mallorca.


An ideal protection to control the sea routes and the surrounding area


The village has now migrated to the area surrounding the fortification

For centuries the town survived behind its walls protected from pirate attacks. As the danger of such attacks disappeared residents of the walled town started to relocate themselves at the bottom of the hill which lead to the development of modern day Capdepera.


A WIM poses on the walls of Capdepera Fortress: Eugenia Chasovnikova of Russia


GM Sergey Tiviakov admires a banana tree blossom


Eugenia Chasovnikova is fascinated by the wild dates that grow everywhere


... and the giant palm trees


... as well as the bird-of-paradise flowers (
Strelitzia reginae) all over the island


The modern part of Magaluf where the tournament is being held


The amateur tournament (for players below 2300) is under way


Joachim Iglesias, who is leading with 6 out of 6 points


Sergey Fokin, vs Joachim Iglesias. The former won most of the amateur blitz tournament

Top participants in the International Open (which starts today)

SNo.
1 GM Vallejo Pons Francisco 2660 ESP
2 GM Wojtaszek Radoslaw 2635 POL
3 GM Mchedlishvili Mikheil 2631 GEO
4 GM Damljanovic Branko 2608 SRB
5 GM Malakhatko Vadim 2596 BEL
6 GM Berg Emanuel 2593 SWE
7 GM Gagunashvili Merab 2584 GEO
8 GM Mikhalevski Victor 2584 ISR
9 GM Kuzubov Yuriy 2582 UKR
10 GM Mamedov Rauf 2582 AZE
11 GM Spraggett Kevin 2580 CAN
12 GM Hamdouchi Hichem 2576 MAR
13 GM Maze Sebastien 2576 FRA
14 GM Arencibia Rodriguez 2562 CUB
15 IM Gharamian Tigran 2557 FRA
SNo.
16 GM Strikovic Aleksa 2551 SRB
17 GM Romanishin Oleg M 2547 UKR
18 GM Peralta Fernando 2546 ARG
19 GM Jedynak Radoslaw 2543 POL
20 GM Godena Michele 2535 ITA
21 GM Movsziszian Karen 2531 ARM
22 GM Andersson Ulf 2528 SWE
23 GM Del Rio Angelis Salvador 2512 ESP
24 FM Kovalyov Anton 2510 ARG
25 GM Heberla Bartlomiej 2502 POL
26 GM Cabrera Alexis 2499 COL
27 IM Cornette Matthieu 2494 FRA
28 IM Libiszewski Fabien 2486 FRA
29 GM Karlsson Lars 2485 SWE
30 GM Carlsson Pontus 2481 SWE

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