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Formentera takes time out for chess with Formentera s'enroca festival

Festivalescacs1This morning the plenary hall of the Formentera Island Council was the setting for a detailed presentation regarding the upcoming Formentera s'enroca festival, seven days from 23-30 August 2014 dedicated entirely to the game of chess. The event is organised by International Chess Master Diego del Rey, local chess club 4 Torres and the Council of Formentera.

On hand for the meeting were Sergio Jeménez, Formentera's councillor of sports; Raul Moya, festival director; Esteban Serrano, one of the 4 Torres club's most celebrated players; and Marco Valengo, head of marketing for the event.

The festival, explained attendees, will be composed of four different smaller events, the first of which is dubbed the International Chess Open and scheduled for 6 pm on 23 August in the exhibition hall of La Caixa. That tournament will include 25 participants, all of whom must be federated players.

Among those individuals registered to participate, two have received International Master-certification by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) and five have Elo rankings above 2200.

Following the International Chess Open, a special school for young players of the sport will run from 25-29 August under the teaching of International Master Diego del Rey. With 20 players enrolled so far, classes will be split into two different groups – beginners and advanced.

Then, slated to begin just as the children’s school winds down, graduates from that four-day programme will be able to participate in a special children's championship. The showdown will take place on 29 August at 10 am in El Jardí de ses Eres, behind the Sant Francesc church.

Finally, on Saturday, 30 August at the Sant Francesc plaza: simultaneous matches with del Rey. Anyone interested can take part, and festival organisers are currently planning on setting up a total of thirty game boards for the occasion.