The 2009 jubilee of the Schachgesellschaft Zürich is now almost history. The events that were kicked off at the 200th general assembly on 6 June 2009, will conclude with the final round of the national league A (Swiss Team Championship) on 17/18 October 2009. Falling between the two, and from 9-23 August, we had the pleasure of celebrating the venerable 200-year history of the oldest chess club in the world, with three highlights: the Jubilee-Open at the Kongresshaus Zürich and the Champions Simultan and the Champions Rapid, both held at Zurich Main Station. As we had hoped, each of the events was a success for chess enthusiasts: from the hobby player through to the current world champion, Viswanathan Anand; from the spectators enjoying the super atmosphere on site, through to the friends of chess who watched the tournaments as live coverage on the net from every part of the globe. If Garry Kasparov’s assessment is true, then the 2009 jubilee itself is but a small piece in the greater picture of chess history.
A Most Sincere Thanks to Our Supporters
31. August 2009 21:37The jubilee festivities would not have been possible without the commitment of many people who kindly supported us. We extend our heartfelt thanks to them!
Angst, Jesse (Tournament Organisation Jubilee-Open)
Batschelet, Sarah
Baumberger, Albert (Arbiter)
Bischoff, Klaus (Commentator)
Bühler, Willi (SBB/Railcity)
Deutschmann, Matthias (Moderator)
Interviews with Kramnik, Anand and Ponomariov
26. August 2009 07:47Courtesy of Europe Echecs! Thank you, Vijay Kumar and GM Robert Fontaine!
A Most Sincere Thanks to Our Sponsors and Partners
25. August 2009 18:14The jubilee festivities would never have been possible without the support of our sponsors and partners. Our heartfelt thanks to each and all of them!
Main Sponsor
World-Class Chess – The Schachgesellschaft Zürich's Jubilee Delights Hordes of Spectators
24. August 2009 09:45Thousands of curious spectators in Zurich Main Station and countless Internet users around the world were riveted to jubilee events that marked the 200-year anniversary of the Schachgesellschaft Zürich. No fewer than eleven chess champions participated in the events on 22 and 23 August 2009. Vladimir Kramnik won the champions' rapid tournament ahead of the reigning World Champion Anand. The world's oldest chess club takes great satisfaction in having staged a first-class event, whose principal sponsor was Credit Suisse.
In the champions' simultaneous exhibition on Saturday, 22 August, 2009, 200 amateur chess players battled against eight chess grandmasters: Viswanathan Anand, Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, Viktor Korchnoi, Vladimir Kramnik, Boris Spassky, Ruslan Ponomariov and Veselin Topalov showed brilliant skill in their games. Of the 200 games played, the champions conceded only four wins to their tough challengers; 35 other games ended in a draw. The simultaneous event was expected to run through around 6 pm, but Kasparov und Karpov and their opponents duelled through 9 pm. Even that late – seven hours after the start – both champions were still surrounded by many chess enthusiats. At the beginning of the event thousands of curious onlookers were watching the champions' moves.