A joint Active Chess Tournament for junior players from England and Warsaw
The tournament was organized following two matches in which the English under-12 squad, visiting Warsaw in February, met several young Polish players. For the English children it was - in their own words - an exotic experience, for the Poles it was another monthly tournament played in the Warsaw Bemowo district.
The first monthly tournament in Bemowo was held in the spring of 1994 and there were 47 meetings organized since. Each meeting is held in three groups: under-8, under-10 and under-18 years of age. The tournaments are organized September through June, usually on the second Saturday of the month. The tempo is 20 minutes per game, 7 rounds Swiss system. Among the organizers are the authorities of the local housing estate and the youth chess club "Szachbem".
For a minimal entrance fee each paricipant gets the chance to win a valuable prize. Also, his/her points are calculated for all tournaments and after the June finals several best players are awarded special Grand Prix prizes.
The 46th "Szachbem" tournament was held with the participation of 20 strong junior players from England, supervised by Mr Peter Purland from Liverpool and two other coaches. The English guests got so absorbed in their games that they forgot about lunch and a sightseeing tour of the Warsaw Royal Castle, which would seem to confirm the well-known claim that chess demands sacrifice.
The guests left with a feeling of satisfaction, although they usually don't play active chess. It seems likely that the young players will have occasion to meet at other European tournaments; in any case, the first introductions have been made.
Adam Umiastowski
Active Chess Tournament