Ever wondered how you’d get on against a top international chess player?
Well, dozens of Guernsey players are about to find out, when a pair of Europe’s “most distinguished” grandmasters visit the island on Friday in a head-scratching exhibition.
Bachar Kouatly and Radoslaw ‘Radek’ Jedynak will take on up to 15 players each, in what’s known as a ‘simultaneous match’.
In these, chess experts play against multiple opponents at once, playing one move before heading over to the next board – and so on.
Chess players get a rating from FIDE – the international chess federation – which is based on their previous competitive games.
To become a chess grandmaster, you need to reach a rating of 2,500 or more in ‘classical’ chess – with the top rating ever going to legendary Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen – who achieved 2882 in 2014.
Kouatly is a famous face in the chess world, as the first French-Arab player to achieve the grandmaster title, reaching a ‘peak’ rating of 2520 in classical chess.
He later went on to serve as Deputy President of FIDE and President of the French Chess Federation.
Meanwhile ‘Radek’, who held a peak FIDE rating of 2559, is a former President of the Polish Chess Federation.
The event is set to take place at Les Cotils Hotel from 17:00.
Competitors of all ages and abilities have been invited to take part in the free event, by contacting chess@gcf.org.gg.
Guernsey is due to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its own contribution to international chess, later this year.
The 50th Guernsey Chess Festival will be held at St James this November, with players from all over the world expected to travel to the Bailiwick to compete and watch.
