The tournament

The tournament is an eleven-round competition played at 40 moves in 90 minutes followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game and a 30-second increment as of move one. The first round is on May 15 with rounds every day until round eleven on May 24, including a double-round on May 17. Play typically starts at 5PM.

Although there are tiebreak scoring systems in place, starting with direct encounter, Buchholz, and more, in the event of a draw at the top, the top four qualifiers will be decided by a rapid tiebreak match or tournament, depending on the number, starting at 15 minutes plus a ten-second increment.

The prizes are US$5000 for first, $3400 for second, $2400 for third with prizes all the way to 20th place. Note that as FIDE events of this caliber, all norms scored count double, thus a player who scores a norm at the end of the competition will be considered to have earned two norms, not one.

Pride in the past

Upon first getting to know the city of Montevideo, of which I have only scratched the surface, a fact I am all too aware of, one is struck by the incessant and almost overwhelming number of museums, displays, and galleries open to the public, almost all at no cost.

One walks past all this in wide-eyed acceptance and admiration, but at some point the mind recovers from its initial shock and asks itself ‘how?’ If you go to a city such as Paris, you expect this, with its history dating back to Roman times, and artistic endeavors that have punctuated its past. Nevertheless, with all the deepest respect for this city, it does not quite stretch that far back, so how do they do it?

In many ways, the list of cultural offerings are an example of what is possible even without millennia of stories to tell, and the nature of the exhibitions tells a tale of pride in their past that is not common. The exhibition of the Museum of Currency shared in the first report are but the tip of the iceberg.

For one thing there are the old buildings with rich architectural beauty visible everywhere, even in
relatively ‘common’ buildings. One might expect this effort to protect old churches and whatnot, but
it extends far beyond this helping give the city its Old World flavor. (Click image for high-res version)

A couple of blocks from the hotel there is a post office. What is interesting nevertheless is not just that it is housed in one of the older traditional buildings, but that it carries a sign saying: “Postal Museum”

The entrance depicts a small open space with the ever-present Artigas

These are not idle words, and strolling into it, you will see a series of exhibits describing the first efforts at postal services and the original items and equipment used.

The museum shares an ample collection of the various stamps used

This, for example, is the second generation mailbox used from 1900 to 1940

This is a reconstruction of the early postal offices

Saddles (1896-1945) - Used by the cavalry postmen (on horseback) to
distribute the mail in urban and suburban zones. The first 'Postman on
Horse' was Don Gregorio Haedo in 1896.

Among the various displays, of which this is but a small selection, is
even an original 'Postal and Telegraph Guide' from 1925

While quaint on the one side, they are also fascinating glimpses into a past that is not so far back, and that helps us stay in touch with our roots and better understand and appreciate the changes we are undergoing. Still, it is not all about "Montevideo 100 years ago".

This old-looking building with a modern decoration invites you to take
a look at a new series of displays. (Click image for high-res version)

The inside is quite large, and houses several floors of modern multimedia exhibits

Among the themes on the ground floor is one on recycling, a concept the city has embraced

Even public parks are the topic for school field trips. Here a class comes with the teacher
as she gives a lesson on the fountain and its importance

Around the fountain, vendors sell a variety of items. Here I am posing with a camera from yesteryear

Round five

The fifth round can already be described as defining ever more the true list of leaders and challengers. It is to be expected that the leaders will change places over the next rounds, and sure enough that is indeed what happened. IM Yago Santiago faced GM Axel Bachmann and found himself on the wrong side of opening preparation.

A shake of the hands, and a swap of leadership

GM Axel Bachmann - IM Yago Santiago (annotated by IM Luis Rodi)

On other tables on the stage were Argentine Alain Pichot who held GM Eric Hansen to a
draw, while Sandro Mareco split the point with Alexander Shabalov

Joining Axel Bachmann in the lead was Peruvian Jorge Cori. IM Luis Rodi, who followed the game with great interest, said, "After Julio Granda Zuñiga, a long list of rising players has come out of Peru, among whom the talented Jorge Cori. In the following game, the young Peruvian grandmaster achieves an advantage in original style, which he then exploits to perfection."

GM Jorge Cori - GM Federico Perez Ponsa (annotated by IM Luis Rodi)

In the main playing room, Argentinian IM Facundo Pierrot drew GM Kaidanov

GM Diego Flores started with 4.0/5

Keen chess enthusiast, organizer André Boff in a post-mortem

A game of contrasts

Standings after five rounds

Click for complete standings

The top eight boards of the event can be followed live at both the official site and on Playchess.

All photos by Albert Silver

Links Official tournament site 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.