Chess in Mexico

World class chess in Mexico

Chess enthusiasts reckon 1932 as the year when world class players, leaded by Alexander Alekhine, landed in Mexico City. The Mexico City International Tournament had a second edition in 1935, with Reuben Fine as the star.

After the Prix, the aggressive New Yorker confronted simultaneous matches against a selected number of the best players in Monterrey, Nuevo León. He also defied Mexican legend Carlos Torre.

In the XX Century, several World Champions visited Mexico: Jose Raul Capablanca, Mikhail Thal, Tigran Petrosian, Bobby Fischer, Boris Spassky, Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov; among World class women, Maia Chiburdanidze and Zsusza Polgar. Among other Great Masters that have disputed matches in Mexico: Ivanchuk, Gelfand, Kashdan, Keres, Hort, Najdorf, Reshevsky, Euwe, Olafsson, Benko, Korchnoi, Beliavsky, Timman, Ribli y Portisch.

Besides Carlos Torre, Mexican players that have reached International Norms are Marcel Sisniega, Gilberto Hernandez, Juan Carlos Gonzalez and Rafael Espinoza; Roberto Martin del Campo won a Gold medal at an Olympics tournament.

In recent years, Cuernavaca, called City of eternal Spring by Baron Von Humboldt, has built a well earned reputation among the chess community, due to efforts made by the State University — Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos—in arranging World class chess challenges, focalizing world attention by combining Internet technologies and in site logistics.

In 2002, the two Great International Masters of Mexican chess, Gilberto Hernandez and Juan Carlos Gonzalez met in a six game match to define the best in our country. Then in 2004, the Young Masters match between Sergey Karjakin, form Ukraine y US rising star, Hikaru Nakamura, also known as H-bomb was played. In 2006, nine Great International Masters and Mexican young promise, Manuel León Hoyos, confronted each other in an exciting tournament.

2006 was The year for World class chess in Mexico. Besides the Young Masters Prix, World Champion Veselin Topalov and the strongest female player, Zsuzsa Polgar, played simultaneous games at Casa del Lago at the country´s capital and the Borda Gardens of Cuernavaca; later, the cream of the cream of World chess met at Morelia, –a beautiful colonial city—to play the first round of the famous International Tournament of Linares, Spain.

In November 2006, Mexico City Chess Festival broke three Guinness Records: the biggest human logo, the most numerously attended simultaneous games, the highest number of books signed by author –ex world champion Anatoly Karpov. The 2007 World Chess Championship will be held in Mexico City from september 12 to October 1th, 2007. Emerging from a long and enduring series of previous matches, eight Granmasters will play each other twice. After 14 rounds and 52 games the 2007 World Chess Champion will be crowned at the Heart of Mexico.

The Mexico City World Championship 2007 will be one of the most spectacular tournaments in recent years. Thousands of chess enthusiasts will be attending the play room. Actions will be taking place at the center of the largest metropolis in the world, the cultural and historical jewel of Mexico City. Games will be transmitted in real time through this page, and we will arrange an Analysis room, a VIP Lounge and several activities to enhance the interest of the general public. We are looking forward to an approximate of 300 million hits in the site, alter, during and before the event.

You can find a lot more information about chess in Mexico and the upcoming World Championship in 8 days at Chess Mexico website.