Chess fans start your engines! The Reykjavík Open Chess Tournament kicks off today at Harpa, with 238 players from around the world vying for the top spot. The 28th installment of the festival, which has been sponsored by the City of Reykjavík since 1964, boasts the registration of around 200 grand masters, so the 8-day event promises to be rousing for players and spectators, alike.
A late addition to the tournament, having just confirmed his registration yesterday, is Friðrik Ólafsson, Iceland first and oldest grandmaster. Friðrik became a grandmaster in 1958, played in the inaugural Reykjavík Open in 1964, and has claimed the to spot at the tournament three times. During his chess career he had beat out such greats as honourary Icelander Bobby Fischer, and Anatoly Karpov, before
Tournament winners stand to win a portion of the €15,000 in available prizes, including prizes for various special categories, like Best Juniors, Best Women, and best performance according to rating.
The first round of the tournament begins today at 16:30.
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