World Senior Chess Championships 2011 – The Players

Mark Choong, Singapore:

This is my first Senior World Championship. And this is also my first time in Croatia. To arrive in Opatija from Singapore I traveled 17 hours – 13 by plane and 4 by train.

But it was worth while! Everything is really ok and I like the event.

Mark Choong

Emili Simon Padros, Spain:

Simon played the World Junior championship in 1965, he also won the Spanish Junior championship and the Spanish Senior Championship.

This is my 4th Senior World Championship. I like the organisation here in Opatija, but it was very nice also when I played in Italy, at Arco di Trento.

I have only a regret, it is to say that my wife could not come with me, so this time I am alone.

Emili Simon Padros (black against the Italian G. Valenti)

Antonio Rosino, Italy:

Rosino, from Venice, is the Italian Senior Champ. He won the title 5 times, by the way, he was also 3 times the Italian Junior (Under 20) champion!

This is my 6th Senior World Championship. Moreover I played many European Senior Championships and also the European Team Senior Championship.

I am very happy to play in Opatija also because the town bears important memory for my family. In fact my grand-mother, who was born in Parenzo, came to Opatija for her wedding travel. Moreover my grand-father was the director of the elementary schools in Istria until 1936 and I remember that he was also teacher in Albona.

Antonio Rosino

Interviews by Adolivio Capece