WHATLEY IN CHESS MOVES WITH FORMER WORLD CHAMPION SPASSKY
• Festival is a major event for local chess club
by Alice Mascarenhas
10 year old Stpehen Whatley chuffed at being able to play with one of the Masters of the game, former World Champion Boris Spassky.
Gibraltar’s local players may only be a handful but they are playing across the board at the 2010 Gibtelecom Chess Festival with participation in the Amateurs, Challengers and even the Masters.
Alan Gravett
10 year old Stephen Whatley, our most promising local player gained a few points in the opening rounds, this week and gathered strength to participate in the next level in the Challengers tournament, and even the Masters. Putting his name to the list he was paired in the Masters with another local player Manolo Matto, who has been playing annually since the tournament began. And although Matto won, Stephen put him under much pressure into the last stages of the game.
But the biggest thrill of the week for Stephen Whatley came on Friday evening when he spent an hour learning from one of the greats of chess, former World Champion Boris Spassky who earlier in the day had surprised the chess world by joining commentator Stuart Conquest in the broadcasting suite.
Spassky sitting at the lounge of the Caleta Hotel enjoyed some chessspeak with the young chess player and he came away with a few more moves under his belt.
“I got a free lesson from one of the greats, former world champion Boris Spassky,” said a chuffed Stephen still excited by this special moment which he will treasure forever.
For hours on end whether in competition in the main hall, or in the lobby of the hotel, our local players join in the spirit of the tournament. They play with players from all over the world, they analyse the games, and they show improvement with each passing year.
The first week of competition in the Amateurs and Challengers proved positive for our local players.
Luis Manetto came second in the Amateurs, and both Freddy Poggio (Amateurs) and Alan Gravett (Challengers)received the award for best Gibraltar Player, in their respective tournaments.
Our number one player is Alan Gravett who has supported the event from the outset. He is participating in the Challengers. Other local club players are Mario Garcia and Tom Bath, who are playing in the Amateurs.
Alan Gravett says participating was initially a novelty for him but that the excitement of mixing with the very top players, see them in action and to be able to play and meet with them, keeps pulling him back.
Here is the full article.
Spassky is awesome.