The IV Torneo Internacional Abierto de Ajedrez “Alajuela 2008” – the Fourth International Chess Tournament – took place in Alajuela, Costa Rica. It lasted from July 9th to 1th and was played at the rate of 90 minutes for all the moves plus 30 seconds increment per move. The prize fund was US $2000 for first place, $1500 for second, $1000 for third, etc.
| SNo. | Ti. | Nombre | EloInt | FED |
| 1 | GM | Tiviakov Sergei | 2645 | NED |
| 2 | GM | Mikhalevski Victor | 2592 | ISR |
| 3 | GM | Mitkov Nikola | 2556 | MKD |
| 4 | GM | Georgiev Vladimir | 2531 | MKD |
| 5 | GM | Ramirez Alejandro | 2531 | CRC |
| 6 | IM | Cordova Emilio | 2519 | PER |
| 7 | IM | Perez Luis Manuel | 2495 | CUB |
| 8 | GM | Vera Reynaldo | 2493 | CUB |
| 9 | GM | Sagalchik Gennadij | 2424 | USA |
| 10 | IM | Valdes Leonardo | 2408 | CRC |
| 11 | IM | Fernandez Daniel | 2401 | USA |
| 12 | IM | Leyva Hector | 2380 | ESA |
| 13 | IM | Alonso Garcia Rene | 2368 | CUB |
| 14 | FM | Arias Lemmys A | 2342 | ESA |
| 15 | IM | Murillo Alexis | 2319 | CRC |
| 16 | IM | Arias Mauricio | 2310 | CRC |
| SNo. | Ti. | Nombre | EloInt | FED |
| 1. |
IM |
Emilio Córdoba |
Peru |
8.0 |
| 2. |
GM |
Tiviakov Sergei |
Holanda |
7.5 |
| 3. |
GM |
Sagalchik Gennadij |
USA |
7.5 |
| 4. |
IM |
Luis Manuel Pérez |
Cuba |
7.0 |
| 5. |
GM |
Reinaldo Vera |
Cuba |
7.0 |
| 6. |
GM |
Mitkov Nicola |
Macedonia |
7.0 |
| 7. |
IM |
Héctor Leiva |
El Salvador |
7.0 |
| 8. |
IM |
Arias Mauricio |
Costa Rica |
7.0 |
| 9. |
IM |
Lemmis Arias |
El Salvador |
7.0 |
| 10. |
Sebastian Ruiz |
Costa Rica |
7.0 |
Alajuela is a city in the heart of Costa Rica, a republic in Central America, the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army.
The district of Alajuela covers an area of nine km², at an elevation of 952 meters above sea level in the Central Valley (Valle Central), 19 kilometers northwest of the national capital city of San José. The city serves as the marketplace for sugar and coffee that are grown in the surrounding area.
In pre-Columbian times Alajuela was a part of the so-called Kingdom Huetar of Occident and was inhabited by natives. In 1650 was come by the first Spanish settlers, who occupied the uncultivated grounds of the region. In 1813 the first Town Hall was built and the town constituted, under the name of Saint Juan Nepomuceno de Alajuela. Today Alajuela is the hometown of one of the most popular soccer teams of the country.
San José and Alajuela are located on a central plateau, which is of volcanic origin. Volcan Poaz (2700 meters) and Volcan Barva (2900 meters) are located very near the capital, the former being more famous because of its volcanic activity. In 1953 Volcan Poaz had a huge eruption, and another in 1969. The last major eruption was in 2006. The volcano has a road to near the crater rim, and there is a bluish-green lake in the active crater.
Wooden stairs leading to the platform where you can view the crater
Both volcanoes are covered in lush rainforest with a rich variety of wildlife.
The summits are usually obscured by clouds, and you need some luck to be able
to see the crater on a clear day.
We were lucky, the clouds parted for a while and we had a clear view.
The volcano and the grandmaster: Sergey Tiviakov poses on the viewing platform,
while Volcan Poaz belches sulfurous steam, smoke and ash in the background.
No large explosions during the visit, we are glad to report.
Did we mention lush vegetation on the slopes? Well, this is what we meant.
Hotel Martino, where the players were quartered
Second seed GM Mikhalevski in the city with a newly acquired female friend
The playing venue, with GM Mikhalevski (2592, ISR) posing in front
The playing hall
IM Emilio Cordova (right) from Peru, rated 2519, won the event
GM Alejandro Ramirez, 2531, the strongest player ever in Costa Rica
IM Leonardo Valdes, rated 2408, of Costa Rica
GM Nikola Mitkov, 2556, from the Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
WIM Lorena Zepeda, rated 2161, from El Salvador
Sister Sonia Zepeda, WIM, rated 2122
Young talent: Shirley Trejos, rated 2060, from Costa Rica
Sun-burnt GM Tiviakov in the Museum of Alajuela
Golden ornaments from pre-Colombian times
Golden figures in all shapes and sizes fill the museum
A reconstruction of how these golden figures were made
For many more pictures from the museum and the churches of the
city
visit our Spanish
language news page (second half of the report)
