Quebec Open 2011

Quebec Open 2011
Quebec looking for its new chess legend

The Quebec Open 2011 will take place July 23 to July 30 in Montreal, Canada. It features five sections plus a closed tournament for a total guaranteed prize fund of 18 000$.

The event is looking for its new legend in 2011, after Nigel Short, Viktor Korchnoi, Igor Ivanov, Boris Gulko, Anton Kovalyov, and Ljubomir Ljubojević have put their names with golden letters in Quebec chess history. So far 8 Grandmasters have confirmed participation, among them 2009 Quebec Chess Champion GM Anton Kovalyov (ARG), GM Eduardas Rozentalis (LIT), GM Bator Sambuev (CAN), GM Dejan Bojkov (BUL), GM Matthieu Cornette (FRA), GM Jean-Pierre Le Roux (FRA), GM Thomas Roussel-Roozmon (CAN) and GM Walter Arencibia (CUB).

Two renowned Grand masters, Matthieu Cornette (France) and Thomas Roussel-Roozmon (Québec) will provide chess lessons during the Quebec Open. The objective is to enable young players improve their chess while having the possibility to play in a highly respected competition. The combination between theory and practive produce excellent results if we rely on the experience of 2010. The Camp is conducted in french, a good opportunity for immersion. The dates of the camp – July 25-29, 2011.

GM Dejan Bojkov will also enter the rich program of Quebec Open by giving a simul July 29, 2011 at 1pm, at the venue of the championship.

The Quebec Open championship 2011 is organized by the Quebec chess federation. For more information and signup regulations are at this pdf, at the official website, and contact the tournament organizers at info@fqechecs.qc.ca and tel. 514 252 3034

Quebec Open – the history

In 1967, the Quebec chess federation was created in reason of the conflict between chess players from Quebec and from the rest of Canada. The language barrier was at the principal reason that pushed Quebecers to create their own federation. It was not until 1972, when powered by the “Fischer-Boom” the Quebec chess federation organized the first official Quebec Open, which attracted the massive 744 players. It was a real shock since the previous tournaments in Quebec had barely attracted more than 50 players.

In 1980, one of the strongest players to ever live in Canada arrived in a spy-movie way. His name was Igor Ivanov and he was part of a Russian chess team coming to Cuba for a chess tournament. He had earned his place on this trip by defeating the world champion Anatoly Karpov in a pretty convincing way. However, he ran away in Canada during a refuelling stop in Newfoundland, chased by KGB agents. He then made a big sensation by winning the Quebec Open, then the Canadian Open and Closed, the last two taking place at the same time! Running from one of his game to the other, he managed to win both tournaments ahead of very strong international masters. He later won all (except 1985) the Quebec Opens in which he played.

Photo: David Iliff

In 1982, two players from England were invited : GM Michael Stean and IM Nigel Short. The young IM was back then a big sensation, considered by many as a child prodigy who could one day aspire to the title of world champion.

Many more chess legends participated in the Quebec Open, such as Boris Gulko in 1992, Ljubomir Ljubojević in 1984 (who back then had the third highest rating in the world) and Korchnoi in 2004.

The sensation of the recent tournaments is without any doubt the young Anton Kovalyov, the best junior player in the Americas. He won the Quebec Invitational championship in 2009 and tied for the first place in the Quebec Open 2010. He is actually listed as Argentinian, but he has been living in Montreal since he was an IM and should change his federation very soon.