Stockholm Chess Society celebrates 150th anniversary

Photos by Lars AO Hedlund

Even if you have never been to Stockholm, or considered it on your bucket list of places to go, when you read that the capital of Sweden is an archipelago of fourteen islands connected by fifty-seven bridges, and see the gorgeous pictures of the city, you can only long to be present in this Scandinavian beauty. In some ways it is a time capsule in and of itself, with historic structures and razor-thin cobblestone streets, hosting the annual Nobel Prize ceremonies and banquet at the Stockholm Concert Hall and Stockholm City Hall.

Panorama over Stockholm around 1868 as seen from a hot air balloon, around the time the
Stockholm Chess Society was founded. Lithography by Carl Johan Billmark made in 1868.
Click image for high-res vesion.

In fact, even the Stockholm metro, opened in 1950, is well-known for its decoration of the stations. Running 110km underground in Stockholm’s Tunnelbana (subway) is the world’s longest art exhibition, with paintings, sculptures, mosaics and installations created by 150 artists since the 1950s in more than 90 of the city’s 100 stations.

Above is the is the vibrantly coloured abstract harlequin design that engulfs the Kungsträdgården
Station along the Blå linjen (Blue line) in the centre of Stockholm. Painted by Ulrik Samuelson in
1977, with later additions made by the artist in 1987, this ceiling artwork can be found on the
Arsenalsgatan exit side of the station. (photo: Lola Akinmade Åkerström)

The venue

The tournament is being held in the prestigious Scandic Hasselbacken Hotel, who is also
the primary sponsor of this tournament

The hotel had humble beginnings in the form of a tavern called Dunderhyttan that emerged
in the mid-1700s! It was an establishment that housed five tables and twenty chairs. It was
only in the 1760s the name "Hasselbacken" was established and became a household named
in the Stockholm restaurant industry.

The playing venue is the stately Hazeliussalen (the Hazelius ballroom)

Players also have access to the large terrace with a view over the amusement park Gröna Lund,
the ABBA Museum, and the beautiful Stockholm waters.

150 years of the Stockholm Chess Society

The tournament commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Stockholm Chess Society, which is the oldest chess society in existence as well as the third oldest continuously running chess club in the world, running uninterrupted since 1866.

Video presentation of club and event

The club was first created in December 29, 1866 at Lagergrens Café in the old opera house. The society's first chairman was the famous explorer, Professor Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld. The club secretary was Johan Schultz, a well-known chess publisher with his own chess column in a weekly newspaper.

Painting by Georg von Rosen of famed Arctic explorer Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld,
who led the Vega expedition, the first complete crossing of the Northeast Passage.

Current club president Stefan Lindh (left) and Ingemar Falk (right) are the event organizers

The tournament

The time control for the tournament — 40 moves/100 minutes, then 20 moves/50 min and then for the rest of the game, 10 minutes plus 30 seconds per move from move one. Added to this, Sofia rule is being used, not allowing draw offers before move 31.

The momentous celebration as well as the beautiful location and conditions have drawn in 305 players from 38 nations, including 34 grandmasters, 12 IMs, and 26 FMs.

Prior to the start of the hostilities, GM Samuel Sevian gave a simul

It was well enjoyed....

...and many children came to participate.

Former World Cup finalist Russian GM Dimitry Andreikin (2732) is the top
seed, but already in the third round, he was held to a draw by GM Axel Smith.

The second seed is the ever-popular Alexei Shirov who has been a part of many of the most
exciting battles in the tournament. See his incredible win over Ralf Akesson (2452) in which
he sacrificed all but the proverbial kitchen sink.

Alexei Shirov - Ralf Akesson (based on post-game analysis by Shirov)

The tournament's website is everything an event such as this deserves with top-notch video
coverage and commentary in English by the club's two strongest players, IM Jonathan Westerberg
and legendary GM Ulf Andersson.

Above is a sample of the live commentary. If you click on the video it will start directly at the point of Shirov's
post-game analysis, which begins exactly at 4:03:20.

Masterclass by Nils Grandelius analyzing his game against Magnus Carlsen

Nils Grandelius recounts his recent game against Magnus Carlsen at the Norway Chess, sharing his
impressions as well as a detailed look at the game itself. Great stuff. (The analysis starts at 9m10s)

The competition is in full swing and after five rounds of nine, the leaderboard is crowded with nine players sharing 4.5/5 with only elaboarte tiebreaks to tell them apart.

Ranked 16, French GM Sébastien Mazé is the no.1 of the nine with 2.5/3
against three grandmasters. In round six he will face ...

... Hungarian GM Zoltan Almasi (2682), the third seed.

Argentinian Sandro Mareco is certainly the player who is the furthest from
home with 12,553 km separating Buenos Aires and Stockholm. He has justified
the trip by sharing the top group with 4.5/5 and a 2726 performance. Last year
he took first in the American Continental Championship.

Indian GM S.P. Sethuruman is also among the leaders at 4.5/5

US prodigy Sam Sevian is one of two Americans in the event and has
had a great start with 4.5/5 as well, including a hair-raising win over
Alexei Shirov in round five.

Alexei Shirov - Sam Sevian

Also representing the next generation is Dutch GM Jorden van Foreest
who has 4.0/5

11-year-old FM Nihal Sarin (2351 FIDE) has 3.0/5

Also of note are the large galleries of high-quality photos in which every single one is labeled, not just the occasional top player. Kudos to photographer Lars Hedlund, author of all the portraits seen here, for his diligence and effort that allow media to put a name to the many faces.

Local Swede Edvin Hoac, 15, will not soon forget this amazing event

The same is true of ten-year-old Solomia Truskavetska who seems to be
enjoying herself, and that is what it's all about after all.

Swedish player Jesper Thiborg has 3.0/5

The grass is always greener on the other side... of the board.

79-year-old Sten Dillen had a rough start, but stuck it out and scored his first win in round five

WIM Olena Zemlickova from Ukraine

Even the live coverage is not only shown on live boards, but you can even choose which site you prefer. For example if you want to watch the live video together with the top boards using ChessBase's replayer as often seen in the News page, they have a page for this. But the unique aspect is that if you prefer the presentation of one of the rivals, they have a page with video and replayer for them as well. One cannot argue their egalitarianism.

Standings after five rounds

Click for complete standings

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 13 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.