The White Falcon - 21.02.1986, Side 6

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Iceland hosts Visa All Star chess match
Story by J02 Dave Sawyer
Photos by PH3 Brian Coyle

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That contest
The weekend of Feb. 8-9 the
first VISA All Star Chess Match
was held in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Twelve players from the Nordic
I countries squared off across
| the checkered boards against
^ the best players the United
States could field in the match
held at Reykjavik's Hamrahlid
College.
was arranged on the initiative of
the Nordic Chess Federation and was sponsored by
VISA International and the credit card company's
U.S. and Nordic affiliates. The Nordic Chess
Federation was represented by players from
Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
Iceland's standing in international chess circles is
high. Of the ten seats available to the Nordic team,
five went to Icelandic players.
Both team's members were chosen on the basis of
their standings in the international chess ranking
system known as the Elo rankings. These rankings
are a rough indication of how many games the
player has won in sanctioned chess tournaments.
(The system is named after Arpad Elo, an immigrant
to the United States.) Unfortunately not all the
highest rated players from either side were able to
attend the match.
The match opened with fanfare, provided by a
beautifully voiced Icelandic choir, and was followed
by a few words from the All Star Match organizer,
Mr. Einar S. Einarsson. "In the tradition of the
warriors of Norse mythology... a very formidable
phalanx of of the knights of the square table has
been assembled to cross swords in a deadly, yet
friendly match," said Mr. Einarsson, "the fighters
will battle today, feast in Valhalla in the evening and
arise fresh for another encounter the next day."
The opening of the two day event was attended by
Iceland's President, Vigdis Finnbogadottir; the U.S.
Ambassador, Nicholas Ruwe; and other Icelandic
officials which included the Minister of Education and
the Mayor of Reykjavik.
The opening move was symbolic.
Throeur Arnarsson made the move for the top
rated American, Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan.
The 13 year old Throeur is the recently crowned city
of Reykjavik champion.
Symbolism seemed to favor the Nordic
Association, at least on the first day of the match.
At the end of round one only five games had been
won out right, three by the Nordic countries, giving
them a 6.5 to 5.5 game lead.
Many who attended the event expected the Nordic
Countries would emerge the victor of the match, and
right up until the last match it could have been that
way.
(LEFT) - President Vigdis
"Mnnbogadottir (L)
jbserves the progress of
:he Nordic players in the
first few minutes of the
VISA All Star Chess Match.
Seated next to her is
Reykjavik Mayor David
Oddson and his son.
(RIGHT) - U.S.
Ambassador to Iceland
Nicholas Ruwe, is no
stranger to chess
tournaments. The
Ambassador also attended
game 13oftheFischer~
Spassky World Chess
Championship, which
Fischer won.
6
The White Falcon February 21, 1985