The Deputy for the Balearic Islands, Pablo Martín, together with the Deputy Mayor for Sports, Eva Serra, has presented the XII Calvià International Amateur Open awards
The Deputy for the Balearic Islands, Pablo Martín, together with the Deputy Mayor for Sports, Eva Serra, has presented the XII Calvià Chess Festival International Amateur Open awards which took place from 10th to 18th October 2015 at the Sala Palmanova. The closing ceremony and the prize-giving event took place on Sunday 18th October at 3.30 p.m.
The Calvià International Festival, which celebrates in 2015 its twelfth edition, had a varied programme of activities addressed to all ages and categories, amongst which outstands its star event, the XII International Amateur Open of Calvià, which is played with the nine-round Swiss system.
The tournament has also included the U16 Festival which was held at Katmandú Park from 10th to 12th October, addressed to children and youths of all levels of between 5 and 16 years old, which consists of various chess tournaments and a combination of ludic and chess activities carried out under the direction of International Masters and Grandmasters.
Also a session of simultaneous games took place on 12th October carried out by Juan Mellado, International Chess Master, who played against 25 enthusiasts at the same time, and a tournament of fast games for enthusiasts of no more than five minutes each one which, due to its dynamism means a spectacle for the public to see how the pieces fly in the game's final phase when the players have just a few seconds to undertake their plays.
After 12 years, Calvià is now a referent within the international chess field, which has meant an important promotion of the municipality as a sports tourism destination. A proof of this is the wide number of documentaries dedicated in the chess specialised magazines and web pages, but aboveall for the loyalty of the participants who repeat in each new edition.
More than 100 chess players from about twenty countries have participated on this occasion. The organisation of the event has been managed by Sergio Estremera, International Master and ex Spanish absolute champion, and Mónica Calzetta, the Spanish chess' first International Grandmaster.