The sixth OGD Prinsenstad Tournament was organised by OGD and the Delftse SchaakClub (DSC) over the Easter weekend in the auditorium of the Grotius College in Delft. The tournament was played in three groups: the A-group (rating of 1900 or higher), B-group (rating from 1600 up untill 2000), and C-group (rating below 1700). Time controls were 1:40 hours per player with a 10-second increment for each move played. The prize fund was over €3000, in prize money. Report and pictures by WGM Alina l'Ami.

Top final standings of the A-Group (after six rounds)

• Full standings of all groups can be found here

The playing hall in the Grotius College in Delft...

...with the games under way

Players could follow top games on flat panels, but also the Candidates games from London

The famous Ulf Andersson, who is often spotted in Dutch events

British GM Stewart Haslinger, also a regular on the Dutch chess circuit

The winner of the A-Group: GM Erwin l'Ami

Second: top seed Jan Smeets, rated 2627

WIM Smaranda Padurariu from Romania

Special interest in the top board games of the final round

Delft is a city in South Holland (Zuid-Holland), located between the larger cities of Rotterdam and The Hague. It is primarily known for its historic town centre and canals; also for the painter Vermeer, Delft Blue pottery (Delftware), the Delft University of Technology, and its association with the Dutch royal family, the House of Orange-Nassau.

Johannes Vermeer's oil painting of Delft in the 17th Century [Wikipedia]

View Larger Map

Typical Dutch town, with canals, bicycles, water... In the background you can see The Oude Kerk (Old Church), and its most recognizable feature, a 75-meter-high brick tower that leans about two meters from the vertical (Dutch version of Pisa tower). This church is the final resting place of the Golden Age Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer.

The Town Hall at the head of the Town Square...

...with the typical Dutch shops and houses

Street-side stores with the famous Royal Delftware ...

... blue-and-white pottery originally duplicated from Chinese porcelain by 17th-century artisans

One of the great contributions to modern civilization: Dutch cheese

The famous Dutch clogs, available in different sizes

Wooden shoes have been popular in the Netherlands for about 700 years. Wearers claim they are warm in winter, cool in summer and provide support for good posture. The wood also absorbs perspiration so that the foot can breathe. Wooden shoes, as icons of Dutch culture, appear in customs such as the practice of young Dutch men presenting their fiancees with a pair of carved wooden shoes. More about them here.

As you can see the most practical method of getting around Delft is on bicycle

... which you can park at the station when you commute by train

• Official Tournament site