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Peter Leko vs Anand |
Arrival in Miskolc is always on a Monday. On Tuesday evening is the opening ceremony – and before it the Before a press conference with both players.
Sofi and Peter Leko, Aruna and Vishy Anand waiting for the press conference
to begin
The Anands while away the time mirthfully trying to guess what the statue may
represent
The formal handshake in front of the posters (which you see all over Miskolc)
The Lord Mayor of Miskolc, Sandor Kali, is clearly delighted to have the World
Champion in his town
Szilvia Barva, wife of the chief organiser, records everything digitally
Outside husband Attila Barva is still trying to locate Anand's missing bag
Anand being interviewed by Vijay Kumar for Indian TV...
... and for the video reports Vijay compiles for Europe
Echecs
After the press conference everyone proceeded to the theatre, where a very special treat was in store: one of the most colorful and beautifully choreographed openings ceremony we have seen. Some of the following pictures are by Gabor Veroci, brother of Event Arbiter Zsuzsa (who calls him "the best Veroci in the family"). Gabor wields a mean Nikon D700, with all the right lenses and a great flash.
The Hungarian part: traditional costumes, snow – very pretty
The male dancer did a kind of schuhplattler,
which is normally at home the alpine
region of Europe in Bavaria (Germany) and Austria. Very nice indeed.
The Leko figure – mind you we did not understand any of the plot –
concentrates on a chess game
The Indian theme, which introduced drama and skin into the evening's performance
Some kind of an Indian chess god hovers over the actors, and is challenged
by them
This has to be Caissa, the goddess of chess (but as mentioned, we did not catch
everything)
The Anand figure (?!) is enticed by a group of lightly-clad dancers...
...and seems somewhat mortified by their actions
A typical Indian multi-limbed depiction
They even had a realistic elephant (a man on stilts) on the stage
The grand finale of the dancers finishes the evening's vigorous performance
All the actors take a bow to enthusiastic applause by the audience. Bravo!
A surprise visitor: the Prime Minister of Hungary Bajnai
György Gordon. This disconcertingly young politician (initially we
though it must be an aide) became prime minister when the Hungarian parliament
passed a constructive motion of no-confidence against Ferenc
Gyurcsány on 14 April 2009.
The Miskolc Lord Mayor Sándor Káli with the Prime Minister
of his country
The Prime Minister spoke and then started the drawing of colours
The MC explains how this will be performed: on the table are two bottles
of wine: one white and one dark. The exquisite wines were donated by Countess
Maria Terezia Degenfeld-Schonburg, who has a vineyard near Miskolc (more about
that next week). A visit to their web site
is well worth a click.
Anand chooses a box and gets a dark Degenfeld bottle, i.e. he has black
in the first game
The players also get very beautiful crystal glasses (more about that later
this week)
After the ceremony a sumptuous buffet and shmoozing with the press
Among the photographers we spotted this young lady – and actually
recognised her! It is
eleven-year-old chess player and enthusiast Timea Hercsik, who featured in
a Miskolc report
three years ago.
Timea chats in excellent English with the World Champion, who like us is
enchanted with the kid
Monday | 01 June | Arrival (transfer from Budapest to Miskolc) | |
Tuesday | 02 June | 18.00h | Opening ceremony and drawing of colours in the National Theater of Miskolc |
Wednesday | 03 June | 16.30h | First game of the match |
18.00h | Second game of the match | ||
Thursday | 04 June | 16.30h | Third game of the match |
18.00h | Fourth game of the match | ||
Friday | 05 June | 16.00h | Public event, ITC International Trade Center, 1. Mindszent Square, Miskolc |
Saturday | 06 June | 16.30h | Fifth game of the match |
18.00h | Sixth game of the match | ||
Sunday | 07 June | 16.30h | Seventh game of the match |
18.00h | Eighth game of the match | ||
19.30h | Closing ceremony |
Links
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The games will be broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse the PGN games. |