Exciting Chess Spectacle in Morocco: FIDE Press Release Featuring GM Hicham Hamdouchi and GM Laurent Fressinet
Grand Chess Spectacle to Begin in Morocco with Top Grandmasters Testing New Casablanca Chess Variant
This weekend, the chess world will turn its attention to Morocco as four top grandmasters – Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Viswanathan Anand, and Bassem Amin – prepare to test the new Casablanca Chess Variant introduced by the Casablanca Stock Exchange. The event promises to be a grand spectacle as these elite players face off in rapid games starting from carefully selected positions derived from historical games.
The schedule for the event is as follows:
Saturday, May 18
– Round 1 at 4:15 pm / Carlsen vs Anand & Nakamura vs Amin
– Round 2 at 5:30 pm / Amin vs Carlsen & Anand vs Nakamura
– Round 3 at 6:45 pm / Nakamura vs Carlsen & Amin vs Anand
Sunday, May 19
– Round 4 at 7:15 pm / Anand vs Carlsen & Amin vs Nakamura
– Round 5 at 8:30 pm / Carlsen vs Amin & Nakamura vs Anand
– Round 6 at 9:45 pm / Carlsen vs Nakamura & Anand vs Amin
The event will be broadcast live on chess.com, allowing fans to follow the action as it unfolds. Each round will also feature a 15-minute segment dedicated to the selection of the position, adding an interactive element to the competition.
The Casablanca Variant offers a unique twist to traditional chess tournaments by providing players with positions from historical games that meet specific criteria. The positions are carefully chosen to ensure a roughly equal evaluation and rich possibilities for both players, aiming to create exciting and dynamic games.
With the participation of top grandmasters and the centenary celebrations of FIDE coinciding with the event, the Casablanca Chess Variant promises to be a thrilling showcase of skill, strategy, and creativity. Chess enthusiasts can look forward to witnessing a grand spectacle as these elite players navigate through unfamiliar territory and strive to outwit their opponents in this innovative format.
As the players prepare to face off in Morocco, the chess world eagerly anticipates the excitement and drama that will unfold in this groundbreaking tournament. Stay tuned for updates and results as the grand chess spectacle begins in Casablanca.