Istanbul Chess Olympiad, Open Chess, Blitz Events for Everyone from Aug 30

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

The excitement is high as the opening of the Istanbul Chess Olympiad draws near. It is a matter of prestige for every chess player to win for her or his country. The motto of the Chess Olympiad 2012 is “Let’s meet where the continents meet”. Istanbul is a world city. Although no longer the capital of Turkey, Istanbul still remains the country’s cultural and business centre. As Byzantium, Constantinople and finally, Istanbul, it has been the capital of three Empires, each leaving their mark in the form of stunning palaces, castles, mosques, churches and monuments.

First, here is the chess video of the official presentation for Istanbul as the host of the 2012 Chess Olympiad.

The International Chess Festival 'İstanbul Open 2012 " will also be held in İstanbul from August (arrival) to 09th September (departure) 2012. Two Open Tournaments (A and B) will be made up according to the ratings of the participants. Besides this a Blitz Tournament will be held within the festival.

There is no entrance fee for GM title players. The entry fee has to be paid in the festival office. This must be done at least two hours before the tournament begins. The tournaments will qualify for FIDE ratings. Foreign players who have a valid passport will be accepted for the tournament.

You can access the official website for more information.

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