Chess tournament in Monastir

Tunisia: Chess tournament in Monastir attracts international grandmasters

TUNISIAONLINENEWS- Since the heydays of chess in Tunisia, a country which in 1967 hosted the interzonal tournament in Sousse in which the American prodigy Bobby Fischer took part, major international chess events have become rare enough these days to deserve a special mention when they occasionally occur.

Thanks to the dynamic members of Ksibet El Mediouni’s (governorate of Monastir) chess club, “La Tour Blanche” (The White Rook) and in partnership with the Tunisian chess federation, an international chess tournament in tribute to Mohamed Slama, a regional pioneer in the field of culture, will gather a team of Tunisia’s best players, as well as a number of international grandmasters of chess.

The 9 round Swiss open tournament which will take place from September 22 to 30, 2009 in the city of Monastir, will see the attendance of some strong players including the grandmasters Dimitri Konarov (Ukraine), Igor Rauzov (Czech Republic) and Aymen Rizouk (Algeria). With a current FIDE rating of 2595, the Ukrainian player is considered as the favorite. The tournament is open to all players with an international chess federation (FIDE) rating equal or above 2250.

The tournament’s first prize comes with a cheque of 800 Euros, the second player will receive 600 Euros, while third player gets 400 Euros.On the sidelines of the tournament, chess amateurs from Monastir and the neighbouring area, will be able to play simultaneous exhibition games against the grandmasters invited.

Source: http://www.tunisiaonlinenews.com