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By
Roberto Alvarez |
Mexico City Hosts Biggest Simul in the World
Playing Chess at the
Zocalo | |
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Few
events attract as much public attention as a giant simultaneous
chess exhibition. And, when it brings together more than 10,000
amateurs and makes a new Guinness World Record, our admiration for
those involved should be great!
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Record number
of participants |
| This year, on
October 22, the Second Chess Festival, at the "Plaza del Zocalo" in
Mexico City, attracted 10,048 players to challenge 450 masters! It
was only last year that the First Festival was held, when 5,049
players and 192 Masters took part in one of the biggest simuls since
1966 following the Chess Olympiad in La Habana.
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Boris
Spassky |
| Former World
Champion Boris Spassky’s stellar presence was "the icing on the
cake," and many fans had the opportunity to see one of the bigger
names in the chess world. Born in Russia in 1937, Spassky learned
how to play chess at the age of 5. He went on to become Junior World
Champion in 1955, Soviet Champion in 1964 and World Champion in 1969
after defeating Tigran Petrosian. He played against Robert James
Fischer in the "match of the century" in 1972, and although he lost,
it is a match for which he will always be
remembered.
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The
game is set up as a giant chess board and, within each square, there
are seven game modules, which correspond to the color square where
they are located. Additionally, the players each received a cap and
t-shirt matching the color of the ’square’ where they sat. It makes
for a truly magnificent view.
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Silmultaneous
game play |
| What is a
simul exhibition? It consists of a game between a master and several
amateurs at the same time. During the Festival, each master plays
against an average of 25 amateurs simultaneously.
The Master
begins by shaking the hand of each amateur and then, he makes his
first moves, moving to each board, and each corresponding amateur in
turn. The amateur holds his reply until the Master faces him again.
What about the reflection time? The time elapsed until the master
returns to one’s board is the time used to prepare a reply. The
primary rule passed on from the organizers: " During the game, the
player must avoid, if possible, comments aloud and will not touch,
nor move, the pieces from his place until his time to play.”
Amazingly, the Master is perfectly aware when somebody cheats, many
times he claims the position while with others, he simply plays
stronger.
Besides increasing the popularity of chess
(because it attracts many people not typically drawn to chess), the
event is also entertaining and educational: the Master may give
advice to the amateur when he deems it appropriate.
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Life-size
pieces |
| Referred to
as a "social and cultural or communication phenomenon," the Second
Chess Festival had many other activities, such as shops (from the
companies sponsoring the event), food, areas for free play -- where
amateurs can meet each other and play chess --, giant screens, and
other cultural events such as music, children shops (make a piece,
play a collective game, dress up as a piece and play over life-size
boards), publications related to the "intellectual game,” theater,
stories and even photographic expositions on chess!
A true
enjoyment for all chess fans in Mexico, and a lesson to another
countries on how to make chess a popular show!
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Panoramic view
of Zocalo |
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See related articles:
Toronto Summer International (9/8/2000)
Shirov Wins Merida, Mexico, Tournament (8/3/2000)
The Magistrate Chess Tournament - results and games (6/20/2000)
Toronto Closed: Teodoro IV On Top (3/29/2000)
A. Ivanov Wins Second Eastern Open in a Row (1/5/2000)
Eduardo Teodoro IV Wins Toronto Closed (3/23/2000)
New York Open - full results and onsite report! (5/15/2000)
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