Dear chess fans,
"Play personally in the afternoons and see and learn from the world's
best players in the evenings"
This is the motto of this year's Chess Classic Mainz. The new date
in August on the Thursday holiday, the Feast of the Assumption of
the Virgin Mary, provides an additional bonus for some German regions
as these participants only have to give up one leave day in order
to play in both major rapid chess events. "Everything under one roof"
and optimum conditions in the Congress Center of Mainz provide all
that is required for chess players who can enjoy the convenience and
facilities of the Rheingoldhalle and the four-star Mainz Hilton hotel
for a reasonable price.
The well-proven recipe of the best available services for participants
and spectators will be put into action again. From 14th to 18th of
August spectators can watch the games on a big video screen of 3 x
4 metres. This visual pleasure is supplemented by expert commentary
by grandmasters Artur Jussupov, Matthias Wahls and Eric Lobron.
The traditional ORDIX
AG Open is the main attraction for most participants for the ninth
time. However, the simuls
by young world champion Ruslan Ponomariov and pretty vice-world champion
Alexandra Kosteniuk as well as the first 'creative' open, played according
to the rules of legendary world champion Bobby (James Robert) Fischer,
promise to offer a lot of excitement. This innovative Chess960
open is designed to give players a lot of room to experiment,
as well as a handicap
competition between the "professional chess players and the well-known
expert". The Lord Mayor of Mainz, Jens Beutel, will compete against
world-famous Viswanathan Anand. You can follow this duel and a lot
more. In the "Duel
of the World Champions", Viswanathan Anand will meet Ruslan Ponmariov,
and in the "Duel of
the Graces", Elisabeth Paehtz will met Alexandra Kosteniuk: so
everyone can enjoy the performances of the stars. People can play
themselves in the afternoons and enjoy themselves in the evenings.
You can find more details on our official homepage by going to www.chesstigers.de.
Further information about the host city, restaurants, hotels, cultural
features and sight-seeing are available from www.mainz.de
and www.info-mainz.de.
The chess clubs, Frankfurt Chess Tigers and SC Frankfurt-West, are
pleased to be organising this chess festival with the support of well-known
sponsors. We invite you to compete and hope you will enjoy the second
chess festival in Mainz's Rheingoldhalle.
Have a lot of fun and feel completely at home at Mainz;
Yours,
Hans-Walter Schmitt,
President of Chess Classic Mainz