PRESS RELEASE 8 Friday 30 January 2015
‘Absolutely fantastic to see all this going on here, on
the little Rock of Gibraltar’ – says Chief Minister
CAPTION: Tradewise Chairman James Humphreys, Casais Director Jorge Leiria, one of our online
commentators Elisabeth Pähtz, Festival Director Stuart Conquest, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo,
young Ana Cramling and Festival Organiser Brian Callaghan. Pic: Sophie Triay
Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo visited the Tradewise Chess Festival today. He was met at
the Caleta Hotel by Festival Organiser Brian Callaghan, Festival Director Stuart Conquest, Tradewise
Chairman James Humphreys, Casais Director Jorge Leiria, one of our online commentators Elisabeth
Pähtz and young Ana Cramling.
CAPTION: In the main hall at the start of play today. Pic: Sophie Triay
In the main hall players waited for that first move in Round 4 as Mr Picardo welcomed them all to
the Rock.
“On behalf of Her Majesty’s Government and the people of Gibraltar we very much look forward to
this chess festival every single year. It is a pleasure to see you all here enjoying yourselves and
playing these important games which will determine who will be this year’s Tradewise Gibraltar
champion. Enjoy your game!”
CAPTION: Live online, Stuart Conquest talks to the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo. Pic: Sophie Triay.
CAPTION: Back in the main hall, the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, a chess player himself obviously
agreeing with Stuart Conquest on one of the first moves. Pic: Sophie Triay.
The Chief Minister also visited the main broadcast studio in the Archie Suite, the hub of our online
broadcasts this year with Grandmaster Simon Williams and International Master Elisabeth Pähtz.
Interviewed by our Festival Director Stuart Conquest, Mr Picardo said it was fantastic to see just how
this tournament had grown in just over 10 years.
He paid tribute to our organiser and said: “when Brian Callaghan started with the idea of niche
tourism, which is so important to Gibraltar he came up with the idea of chess. Some might have
wondered whether he had lost his senses and now look at us more than a decade on with one of the
most fantastic chess festivals in the world, if not the most fantastic, with the No.4 in the World and
the top ranked woman player. It is absolutely fantastic to see all this going on here on the little Rock
of Gibraltar.”
He described the festival as “enriching Gibraltar greatly” and bringing people to the Rock allowing
them to see what Gibraltar had to offer.
“I must tell you that I think we take more from the chess festival than our visitors take from the
Rock.”
The festival, he further commented, continued to go from strength to strength and grow year on
year.
“I think you want to take over our calendar,” he quipped.
To which Stuart Conquest quickly interjected, “would you like to see it last the whole year?
“Indeed,” came back the response.
“It would be a pleasure having you all here playing chess 365 days a year,” added the Chief Minister
who was convinced that Gibraltar had certainly become the home of chess.
“Many international players, many ranked and non ranked players, see Gibraltar as the home of
chess and see the Rock now representing so much of what their game is,” he stated.
NOTE
Ana Cramling has been coming to Gibraltar every year since she was just three months old and
participates in the amateur tournament in the mornings.
Alice Mascarenhas, John Saunders and Leontxo Garcia, Tradewise Press Chess Officers
[email protected] | www.gibraltarchesscongress.com
Steve Connor, Webmaster.
All 2015 Tradewise Festival reports are also on our Facebook page. Follow us
on Twitter @GibraltarChess #GibChess or @Stuthefox with TD Stuart
Conquest.