Oldtimers meet in teams

This week, a tournament is running in Dresden, Germany, of which we had never heard before: the European Senior Team Championship.

Yes, oldtimers who meet in teams. But the players include famous names such as Korchnoi, Jansa, Murey, Tseshkovsky, Uhlmann, Wade, and Westerinen.

The European Chess Union (ECU) is organizing this event already for the 10th time. It's being held at the Ramada Hotel in Dresden, Germany, 11-19 February 2008. The event is a Swiss open with teams of fours players (and one reserve) and lasts nine rounds.




Teams from each federation of ECU have the right to participate. The teams may represent a national federation or any regional structure of a national federation. Entitled to participate are men who have reached the age of 60 years and women who have reached the age of 50 years, by 1st January 2008.

[TABLE=153]

Such events are always a reunion of old chess friends and seeing each other again is more important than winning the trophy. This European Team Championship doesn't seem to be an exception. But one player will definitely have brought some ambition to Germany: Viktor Korchnoi. For his Swiss team, on board one (of course) he won his first two games convincingly (of course).



Korchnoi with former German top player Wolfgang Uhlmann

Photos: Klaus J. Lais

Links:

• Tournament website
• All results & standings
• Games round 1-2 in PGN