2nd CHESS PONG TOURNAMENT
Last Saturday 3rd january has been held the 2nd chess pong tournament in Igualada, a small town 60 km away of Barcelona, in Catalonia.
Chess pong is a combination about table tennis and chess, something similar to chess boxing, changing the ring for a table… First edition was held in December 2013 and was 10 points in table tennis combine with 10 moves in chess. To break the advantage of starting in one sport, the first time was only 5 moves or points, and then series of 10. The winner was the first to win 2 sets at 11 in table tennis or a semi-rapid game of 10 minute in chess.
It were 17 participants in 2013 and the winner was the 2 times Catalan champion in under 20 in semi-rapid games in chess Albert Ezquerro, 2077 ELO in rapid games, who had to take big risks in the final against Daniel Luco, 1815 ELO in chess but a quite good player in table tennis, Catalan champion in +40 in table tennis in the 2012.
This year the tournament was a little bit different, the chances for the chess players has increased, with the old system when playing against a good table tennis player they were obliged in delivering mate in less than 25 moves and could be also only 20. Now it was in table tennis the first winning 3 sets, that means minimum 33 moves in chess, and in chess the game was 5 min + 3 seconds increment.
The format system was similar to last year, 5 rounds Swiss-system plus starting in the eights of final. With a participation of 20 players, half of the players repeating from last year, the winner was again Albert Ezquerro, this time against Enric Bosch, a good table tennis player with a good level in chess (around 1700-1800 in chess.com in 3 minute games). In table tennis Bosch has beaten Ezquerro in 40 points (that means 3 times 11 for Bosch and 7 points for Ezquerro in the 3 sets) but Ezquerro has also being very effective in chess delivering mate in 29 movements.
Now we are thinking in the 3rd edition, if possible with more tables and boards at the same time to accelerate the tournament and also in order to get more participants. It is nearly certain that a new system will be proposed, in order to find the balance between the best in chess and the best in table tennis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTa3JFrnoqI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdTG2044VU4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLElDr-6RU8
Great idea.