International Tournament Recommendations

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  • International Tournament Recommendations

    It looks like I'll have the opportunity in 2018 to do a bit of world travel and hopefully pick up a few top notch tournaments along the way.

    I'd like to hear what events you have played in and would recommend. So far the Reykjavik Open is the only one I'm strongly considering.

  • #2
    Re: International Tournament Recommendations

    I hear Gibraltar is a lifelong memory and amazing experience (though I have never done it) or pit yourself against the best at Isle of Man or Cappelles les Grands. Also follow chessbase.com (news) - they have many excellent tournament reports from across the world (almost daily).

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    • #3
      Re: International Tournament Recommendations

      Might help to know what criteria you are considering most important for your choices. Strength of tournament? Surrounding tourist activities? Prize fund? etc?

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      • #4
        Re: International Tournament Recommendations

        Hi,


        Many years ago I wrote a report on my experience to Paleochora, July 2010.
        http://forum.chesstalk.com/showthrea...3725-Paleohora
        Their website doesn't seem to be set up for next year yet:
        https://chaniachess.gr/International.../index_en.html

        This year there was a report on the 10th edition of the tournament on chessbase:
        http://en.chessbase.com/post/paleoch...lebrates-chess

        Great tournament, experience! The following year I played in the Rethymno, also in the island of Crete, but it appears as though that tournament stopped running.

        All in all, when I did my research for tournaments in Greece, I found 12 nine-round tournament taking place in the time-span of 12-13 weeks (June-September), several overlapping.
        Greece is a great vacation spot but do allocate the appropriate half-days if you will be hopping between islands. Kavala tournament is also apparently still running. They split this one in sections which is particularly attractive if you're seeking norms.
        It seems to me though, in a very quick search, that they don't post them on the FIDE calendar until a few months before, nothing up yet for 2018.



        I played in Benasque, Spain in 2013 and also had a fantastic experience. No beach this time, on the mountains instead. There are also many 9-round tournaments happening in Spain in the Summer. Not sure how the current referendum / possible independence of Catalunya will affect things in Spain for 2018. Barcelona is definitely one of the chess hot spots in Spain.

        Europe overall, in the Summer is a hot-spot for tournaments everywhere. I have enjoyed Mediterranean Europe as it's cheaper (accommodations, food, anything) in general. And it's easy to combine 2-3 tournaments if planned in advance.
        Several Canadians have been playing chess in the Summer in Spain lately, sometimes combining it with a tournament elsewhere in Europe.


        Reykjavik was definitely worth it. But it's in March... and I am not sure how convenient it is to combine it with other tournaments. It was still an awesome vacation, taking into account that you can easily combine it with other activities.


        Good luck, and hoping to hear your own reports next year !


        Alex Ferreira

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        • #5
          Re: International Tournament Recommendations

          An example of a good report: http://en.chessbase.com/post/yermo-s...innsbruck-open

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