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Chess challenge begins
THIS month's Monarch Assurance Isle of Man International chess tournament will be the last, but the event will be reborn as the Manx International Chess Congress, says organiser Jean-Pierre Depin.
Today (Friday) some of the world's greatest chess players will come to Port Erin to take part in the 16th year of the tournament.
But future years could see a different format and a different base for the event.
It has come a long way since its inception in Port St Mary town hall.
Former lighthouse keeper and chess enthusiast, Port St Mary resident Dennis Hemsley, dreamt up the notion of a chess competition and it quickly gained momentum and has become one of the premier fixtures in the chess calendar, attracting players from around the world.
Last year, Mr Hemsley announced he would retire from the event.
This year, Patrick Taylor of Monarch Assurance, a steadfast sponsor of the event throughout the last 16 years, giving 60,000 for this year's tournament alone, announced this would be the last as principal sponsor.
But the competition will be reborn, promised Mr Depin, who is general manager of the Ocean Castle Hotel, where players stay and where it has been held for the last three years.
Since November, Mr Depin has been organising this year's competition ably assisted by Debbie Howes.
There are 33 grandmasters,eight women grandmasters and nine international masters coming to this year's competition, making it the strongest ever, he said.
At the moment, all grandmasters are awarded an appearance fee of anything between 300 and 600. There is also a donation of 150 towards flights and accommodation and food is free.
International masters get 300 towards their expenses, but receive no appearance fee.
Mr Taylor said: 'The tournament costs more and more and more each year but it does not seem to be offset by any compensating benefit for the Isle of Man.
'There are a lot of happy competitors and international grandmasters who all have a great time, it is an extremely friendly tournament and everything that is good about the Isle of Man comes forth to those who compete.'
Mr Taylor added it was a 'tragedy' that more benefit for the Island was not derived from the tournament and said the government should give it more support.
He added: 'What I can not understand about the Isle of Man is there are lots of people who have got a lot more money than I have who really should be equally grateful to the Isle of Man for what it provides for them as I am for what it provides for me.
'I have done a perpetual study of giving back to make up for what I have got. These people do not. I think it's appalling. A lot of these people are millionaires.'
Mr Taylor said he would continue to be involved in the competition.
Mr Depin went on a fact-finding mission to the Gibraltar Chess Festival in January. He met several grandmasters who he invited, and are coming, to Port Erin, he also wants to reorganise the Manx International Chess Congress along the same lines.
In its new incarnation, like in Gibraltar, there will be no appearance fee, but 10 substantial prizes.
The festival is sponsored by 22 businesses and Mr Depin intends to appeal to a 'pool' of different companies.
'I will go to them with my hat in my hand,' he said.
The government donates 6,500 to the tournament but Mr Depin hopes that will increase.
He also hopes to run the event in March rather than October because it fits in better, he said, with the chess calendar and that of the Island.
It will move from Port Erin to another venue if necessary, he added.
'I want it to be one of the best in the British Isles,' he said.
The Monarch Assurance Isle of Man International runs from September 22 to 30 at the Ocean Castle Hotel. Play begins at 1pm every day and the public is invited to watch play and can chat to grandmasters present — but not when they are playing!
When play has finished at 4pm on Sunday, September 30, chess prodigy David Howells will play 10 of the Island's schoolchildren simultaneously.
At 16, David is Britain's youngest grandmaster, and he was also born the year this competition began.
>>To contact Mr Depin about future involvement in the chess congress, phone 836399.
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Weather for Isle of Man
Tuesday 07 February 2012
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