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Take a trip to five beautiful Central European cities and play a rapid chess tournament on the way. The specially launched train will start from Prague on October 12th, 2012 at 10 a.m.
The above memorial plaque with a relief portrait of the first world champion in chess Wilhelm Steinitz (*1836 Prague, †1900 New York) is located on the side wall of the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University. Nearby, on the border of Jewish Ghetto and Old Town in a blind alley Goldrichova, there was Steinitz' home.
On the trip to Dresden you will play first two rounds of the tournament. In Dresden you can visit the famous Gallery or Opera, or just take a walk in baroque streets where the Chess Olympiad took place.
The famous Semperoper in Dresden
On the trip to Wroclaw (above), the birth place of the famous chess player Adolf Anderssen, two more rounds will take place. On October 14th the Chess Train will continue to small spa town Piestany, in remembrance of Akiba Rubinstein, Efim Bogoljubow and Alexander Alekhine.
Schönbrunn Palace of Habsburg monarchs in Vienna
On October 15th the train will go to Vienna, the Austrian metropolis famous for its Sacher cake, Viennese coffee and the chess tournaments.
Above are the participants of the famous Vienna tournament in 1898. Standing: Schwarz, Schlechter, Fahndrich, Caro, Maróczy, Showalter, Marco, Alapin, Halprin, Baird and Burn. Sitting:Tarrasch, Blackburne, Pillsbury, Steinitz, Chigorin, Janowsky, Schiffers and Lipke
On October 16th the last two rounds of this unusual tournament will be played on the way back to the magic town of Prague.
The 13-rounds rapid chess open tournament will be a Swiss with a rate of play of 20 min. and an increment of 5 sec. per move. Number of participants = 100 (the organizer decides about the acceptance based on the order of received applications). All games are played in the train.
The entry fee for the tournament is 1,490 CZK (60 EUR), train ticket 2,990 CZK (120 EUR). Prize money: 70,000 CZK (2,800 EUR) and other material prizes and services – train tickets, vacation weekends, wrist watches, etc. – in value of at least 100,000 CZK (4,000 EUR).
Schedule:
October 12th – 10 am - departure from Prague
to Dresden (1st – 2nd rounds)
October 13th – 10 am - departure from Dresden
to Wroclaw (3rd – 4th rounds)
October 14th – 10 am - departure from Wroclaw
to Piestany (5th – 8th rounds)
October 15th – 10 am - departure from Piestany
to Vienna (9th – 10th rounds)
October 16th – 10 am - departure from Vienna
to Prague (11th – 13th rounds)
The schedule of individual rounds on particular days as well as the location of train stations may be changed according to the situation on the railway. The event is organized by the Prague Chess Society in cooperation with Czech Railways. Director of the tournament is Pavel Matocha.
Two rounds of rapid chess on each leg of the journey on the special Chess
Train
Spotted on last year's tournament: GM Vlastimil Hort (front left)
Chess in the spa Széchenyi last year
Any chess player can apply for the train tournament, there are no restrictions. Every participant can also register his non-playing partner or friends. The number of participants is limited to 100, and the seating capacity limits the number of non-playing passengers too. You can apply by email (annatrachtova@gmail.com) or by post (Prazska sachova spolecnost, Bajkalska 8, Prague 10, 100 00). You will receive information whether you are accepted into the tournament together with instructions how to pay the fees.
Only after the payment of the fee (1,490 CZK – 60 €) and fare (2,990 CZK – 120 €) your application is confirmed and accepted by the organizer. You can also (but you do not have to) book your accommodation through the organizer for reasonable prices in hotels in Dresden, Wroclaw, Piestany and Vienna. The capacity in hotels reserved by the organizer is limited, so the booking is recommended on time. For more information about the accommodation click here. Also check out the refreshments available on the train.
