You're searching for a way to escape everyday stress? You're looking forward to finally get to do some chess in your holidays, but you don't necessarily feel like playing a tough nine round open with chess only?
Photo report and analyses by IM Merijn van DelftYou like fresh air, but you hate loud commercial / touristic camping sites and beaches? The perfect solution may well be
Camping La Rochade, a camping site in Naujac sur Mer, a village north of Bordeaux, France. Together with my wife Evi and a bunch of friends I stayed for a few weeks in Naujac sur Mer for the fifth year in a row now.
La Rochade is a very relaxed place to stay: in the woods, 10 km from the beach. It is founded and run by the charming Armas family: IM Jules Armas, WIM Rike Wohlers-Armas with the help of their daughters Lara and Lena.
Camping La Rochade
Highlight of the chess summer at Naujac sur Mer is the
Open des Vins (Wine Tournament), but since there are all sorts of blitz and rapid tournaments, chess trainings, lectures and a whole variety of other events all summer long, you can stop by whenever is best for you.
The playing venue of the Wine Tournament
This year, the Wine Tournament was held from June 27th until July 4th. The special thing about the wine tournament is that the winner gets his weight in high quality wine. The number two half of his weight, and so on, until the number six one sixth. And, of course, the winners are weighted live at the prize giving ceremony. Besides, there are many category and special prizes.
IM Colovic is weighted at the prize giving ceremony
An aggressive approach in my games - combined with some luck with the pairings - made me the proud winner of the 13th edition. My early loss against Sebastian Siebrecht was compensated by six Sicilian wins. The key games were my wins in round 6 and 9 against young dangerous opponents:
Game viewer by ChessTempoDemuth and Van Delft analysing their game
Second place was shared by Macedonian IM Aleksandar Colovic, the Germans GM Sebastian ('Sebi') Siebrecht and Christian Koepke, as well as Frenchmen Michel Saucy and IM Kevin Terrieux. But as you can see, there were lots of other things going on besides chess!
Impressions from Naujac sur MerWatching the Football World Cup
Camping barbeque
Château Tour de By, famous for its excellent wine
Links
You're searching for a way to escape everyday stress? You're looking forward to finally get to do some chess in your holidays, but you don't necessarily feel like playing a tough nine round open with chess only?Photo report and analyses by IM Merijn van DelftYou like fresh air, but you hate loud commercial / touristic camping sites and beaches? The perfect solution may well be Camping La Rochade, a camping site in Naujac sur Mer, a village north of Bordeaux, France. Together with my wife Evi and a bunch of friends I stayed for a few weeks in Naujac sur Mer for the fifth year in a row now. La Rochade is a very relaxed place to stay: in the woods, 10 km from the beach. It is founded and run by the charming Armas family: IM Jules Armas, WIM Rike Wohlers-Armas with the help of their daughters Lara and Lena.
