Chess exhibition and Speed Chess Championship

50 Years since the Match of the Century! Kötlusetur celebrates this significant event with a chess exhibition dedicated to the match and a speed chess championship on an opening day!

 

Representatives of the superpowers during the Cold War, the American Bobby Fischer and the Soviet world champion Boris Spassky took the battle to the chessboard. These two players fought a unique battle in Iceland which at the same time became one of the highlights of the Cold War. Russia had held the World Chess Championship for 24 consecutive years and Bobby Fischer became the first American to win the World Chess Championship since its beginning in 1866.

 

Albert Cañagueral was a young student taking his first steps in journalism when the duel took place. The adventures had brought him all the way to Hnífsdalur, Iceland to work in a fish factory where he was when Spanish media asked him to be their eyes and ears during the match. Albert did that and more and now, 50 years later, he recalls in this exhibition in Kötlusetur the duel and the experience of being present at this significant event.

 

At the opening, Guðmundur G. Þórarinsson, then chairman of the Icelandic Chess Association and director of the duel, will address guests and Friðrik Ólafsson, the first Icelandic grandmaster in chess and the only Icelandic chess champion to have defeated Bobby Fisher (2x), will say a few words about the beginnings of chess. Talented local musicians will play some music and light refreshments will be served.

 

SPEED CHESS TOURNAMENT! Kötlusetur’s first-speed chess tournament is held in collaboration with the Icelandic Chess School and will start at 15:30. There will be children, teenagers, and adult categories and REGISTRATION is OPEN TO EVERYONE via the email address info@vik.is or via Kötlusetur’s Facebook Messenger.