A historical Mediterrean holiday and chess championship

European Individual Chess Championships 2006

The Turkish Chess Federation (TCF) is organising the European Individual Championships for Men and Women. It will take place from 2 to 17 April in Kusadasi, on the west coast of Turkey. The TCF invites all chess players to Kusadasi in April. Idea is to select European King and Queen of 2006. 16 Men and 12 women will qualify for the next stage of the World Cup.

"We want to test the highest quality of an organisation," said the very active president of the Turkish Chess Federation, Ali Nihat Yazici. "We want to break the upper limits for the quality! We have organised many tournaments in the past. These European Champipnships willl be the best, we hope, with the highest organisation quality, venue and prize fund for this level."

The total prize fund is €78,000, including amateurs category and professionals. Accommodation is provided at the five-star Korumar Hotel, which is located on one of the best beaches of Kusadasi, surrounded by forest.

Where is Kusadasi?

Kusadasi is in the western part of Turkey, on the Aegean Sea side. It is located very close to Ephesus, the best-preserved classical city on the Mediterranean, and the best place in the world to get the feeling for what life was like in Greek times. Ephesus is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Ephesus, one of the wonders of the Ancient World

Kusadasi

This seaside resort town has grown immensely in the last 30 years, and is especially popular with package holiday-makers from Europe. From a population of 6000 in the 1970s, it is now closer to 50,000, although a high proportion of this are part of the tourist industry and here only for the summer. Many cruising ships travelling around the Aegean Islands stop here, especially because of its close proximity (20km) to Selcuk. Kusadasi is a good base to explore this and other ancient cities like Priene and Didyma.

Although there is little of historical interest in Kusadasi itself, the town is popular predominantly because of its many hotels, restaurants, souvenir and carpet shops, and lively nightlife. The Kale district has some old traditional houses and narrow streets, and gives some indication of what the town used to be like. The most famous beach is Kadinlar Plaji, 2.5 km south of the town, dominated by huge hotels. It can get very crowded in summer. There are several small beaches further south, and closer to town is Yilanci Burnu, the peninsular.

How to get to Kusadasi

First you make registration, all details are given in attached PDF files:

• European Men's Championship Regulations
• European Women's Championship Regulations

Then book a ticket to Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport. This is just one hour on the highway from Kusadasi. If you fly to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, then the extension to Izmir will be very cheap. You can combine a beach and history holiday with the great sport of chess.

Hotel Korumar

The Hotel Korumar is located on the beach and surrounded by forests. The hotel web site gives you full information on its location and facilities. All players and guests will stay in the hotel, at a rate of €49 per person in a double room and €69 in a single room. This is for accommodation and full board plus, which means that during lunch and dinner drinks are included.

The Korumar Hotel, with its superb location, commands the most beautiful sea view and presents a combination of style, high-standard accommodation and a wide range of modern facilities to offer unforgettable holidays to its guest of all ages. Here are a few photos from Korumar!

The organiser

The European Individual Championships are being staged by the Turkish Chess Federation (Türkiye Satranc Federasyonu) under the directions of its President Ali Nihat Yazici, who is known for staging numerous international chess tournaments – for instance the European individual, team and youth championships in the last few years.

Ali Nihat attended the Technical University of Istanbul to study electronic and communication engineering. In 1994 he did an MBA degree at the Middle East Technical University, and in 1996 completed the highest honour degree of IAB (International Academy of Broadcasting) in Montreux, Switzerland. He has worked as an engineer in the Turkish Radio Television Corporation, becoming Chief Engineer of the TRT in 1992, and Head of the TV department of TRT in 1999.

In 2000 Ali, who speaks English and French (and of course occasionally Turkish), was elected President of the Turkish Chess Federation. He is a board member of the ECU (European Chess Union), Deputy President of the MCA (Mediterrenean Chess Association), Chairman of FIDE's Chess in Schools Commission, FIDE Rules and Tournaments Regulations Committee Member, a FIDE International Arbiter and FIDE international Chess Organiser. Currently he is running for Deputy President of FIDE in next year's elections (together with chess organiser and business tycoon Bessel Kok). The official campaign web site is locaced at http://www.rightmove06.org.