The chess train chugs out - are you on it?

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011


Hello everyone,


This is going to be one charming chess event. A full train of chess players - 64 actually! A tournament, a journey and lots of tourism peppered with some awesome chess. Chessvibes has got a fantastic report with loads of beautiful photos.

The train goes from Prague to Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, Krakow and back to Prague - it is arguably the most unique ever, and currently under way. The organiser is from the Czech Republic - Pavel Matocha. 

The trip goes to five beautiful Central-European cities; the chess is rapid (25 minutes on the clock for each person, no increment). The train start from Prague on Friday, October 14th at 10 am and on the way to Vienna the first 3 rounds of the tournament were played. In the afternoon and evening the players, accompanying persons, organizers and sponsors could enjoy the Austrian capital, and stayed there in a hotel. On Saturday morning the train continued to Budapest, and on Sunday morning everyone, including the author of this report, travelled further to Bratislava! Tomorrow the train is heading to Krakow and from there it goes back to Prague on Tuesday.

The rapid tournament will last fifteen rounds, with four rounds during the last two trips. Exactly 64 players participate, including the legendary Czech grandmaster Vlastimil Hort (who beat yours truly in the fourth round). The top seed, however, is Robert Cvek, who is a member of the Czech Olympiad team. Also five IMs play - the full list can be found here.

Tweet

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com

Chess tournament in train via Prague-Vienna-Budapest-Bratislava-Krakow-Prague planned!

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011

Hi everyone,

We don't have all the details but according to a nice interview with top Chess organiser/publisher Pavel Matocha in an interview with www.chess-news.ru has said that he is planning a train trip with a chess tournament! He recently organised the CEZ Chess Event. (If you missed the www.chessblog.com link of the event, here it is again: Cez Chess Trophy: Navara beats Movsesian 3.5-2.5)

He says, "I would like to invite everyone to a special chess project that I am planning. It will be a chess tournament in a train. And this train will proceed via Prague - Vienna - Budapest - Bratislava - Krakow - Prague!".

The event is likely to be held from October 14-18 and is open to everyone who would like to play one round a day. The train will have only chess players who will play five rounds, one each day. For example, on the morning of travel from Prague the first round will be played. "In the afternoon we will be in Vienna, and we will have a free evening to enjoy the city and get acquainted with its attractions, and so on. We spend the night in a hotel, and next morning set out from Vienna to Budapest - the same program."

"This will be an open tournament with perhaps 50 players. In the summer I will publish the advertisement, and everyone can send an application to participate, and everyone can play. No restrictions. I think this project has not been unique in chess history. Hopefully, this will be a good event that everyone will like and which will initiate a new tradition. This year, the train will pass through five countries in Central Europe, and if all goes well, next year we will be able to organise a similar tournament in other countries."

Tweet

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com