Turkish Super League
Report by WGM Anna Rudolf
The Turkish Super League is a unique event sponsored by the Turkey Is Bank, that brings together the top 16 teams of the country. The championship is played in a round robin system, on two different occasions: the first 7 matches were fought this year in February, in Antalya, while the last 8 rounds were held in Uludag, Bursa, from 25 June to 2 July 2009.
Each team consists of 10 boards: 4 men boards, a woman board, a junior, an U16 boy, an U16 girl, an U14 boy and an U14 girl board. Most of the clubs strengthened themselves with foreign titled players, however, in each round maximum 3 of them were allowed to play.
Let’s have a closer look at the last 8 matches of the League and the final standings. The playing venue was the Alkoclar Hotel on the mountain Uludag, which is a nice sky resort nearby Bursa. Unfortunately, June is not really the month for skying, but the extraordinary view and the more “chessy” climate (only 15-20°C) could still delight the players.
Every team had something to fight for: the medalist squads’ privilege is the participation in the European Club Cup, while the last 5 places in the final standings mean relegation to the Second League. The 15 matches brought the following the result:
1. Truva Satranc S.K.
2. Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu
3. Manisa Doruk Koleji S.K.
4. Tarsus Zeka Satranc
5. Ankara ODTU S.K.
6. Turk Hava Yollari S.K.
7. Bursa Tophane Endustri Meslek Lisesi
8. Istanbul Teknik Universitesi S.K.
9. Yesilkoy S.K.
10. Pamukkale Universitesi S.K.
11. ISEK Aquamatch
12. Antalya Ramazan Savas S.K.
13. Er-Bakir Spor Kultur
14. Antakya Satranc ve Bric S.K.
15. Istanbul Dobruca S.K.
16. Antalya Callispor
Report on chessdom.com
How strong is this league?