3RD ANNUAL HOWARD STAUNTON MEMORIAL CHESS TOURNAMENT
at
SIMPSON’S-IN-THE-STRAND
Friday 19th August to Tuesday 30th August 2005
Howell tipped as youngest ever grandmaster at 14!
London July 2005: Simpson’s-in-the-Strand, the traditional home of chess in London since 1828 is once again the venue for the Annual Howard Staunton Memorial Chess Tournament from Friday 19th August until Tuesday 30th August 2005.
This year’s event is particularly exciting as chess prodigy David Howell is tipped by some to become the United Kingdom’s youngest ever Grandmaster at only 14 years of age. Trying to halt David’s rapid rise to the chess halls of fame will be Grandmasters Jon Speelman, Colin McNab and Jon Levitt as well as WGM Jovanka Houska and IM Lawrence Day.
This year’s prize fund is £4,000 with a top prize of £1,250 but the winner will also receive a chess set with a particularly poignant association – that of Morris Sobkowski. Mr Sobkowski was a survivor of five Nazi concentration camps during the second world war and his personal chess set, plain, wooden, almost shapeless is a reminder of the nourishment the civilised intellect can supply in the most horrific of circumstances. The chess set will be on display in Simpson’s throughout the tournament.
The opening ceremony will take place on at 11am on Friday 19th with play starting each day at 2pm. Commentary will be provided by Bob Wade OBE and spectators are welcome.Eric Schiller, arbiter for the KRAMNIK-KASPAROV WCC LONDON 2000 will be chief arbiter.
~ ends ~
Notes to Editors:
· PRESS PHOTOCALL 11AM ON FRIDAY 19TH AUGUST.
· This year’s Howard Staunton Tournament is sponsored by Chess Monthly , Trudi Sobkowski, Barry Martin, Clive and Sue Davey.
· Chief organisers Ray Keene OBE, Barry Martin and Clive Davey of the Staunton Society
· Howard Staunton was the only English world chess champion beating French champion St.Amant at Paris in 1843.
The opening ceremony will be conducted by the Chairman of the Armed Forces Chess Association Squadron Leader Steve O Neill of the RAF.