The Reykjavik Open is one of the most prestigious chess tournaments in the world. Chess is a game of skill and strategy. The strongest players in the world compete for the world championship. However, there are also tournaments for beginners and more experienced players. These tournaments are open to both men and women.
The 37th Reykjavik Open will take place on March 29-April 4, 2023 at the 28,000 square meter Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Hall in the heart of Reykjavik. In recent years, the Reykjavik Open has been consistently ranked as one of the best Open Championships in the world by the ACP. It will feature the best players from around the world. There is no doubt that this will be an excellent event.
Reykjavik Open Chess 2023 is going to be the premier chess tournament in the Nordic region. The winner will take home the prestigious title of world chess champion. The total prize money for 2023 will be €16,000 and will include many special prizes for different ages and classes, in addition to the traditional top prize for women.
The tournament will feature some of the strongest men and women in the world. One of the highlights of the event is the traditional chess blitz tournament. The organizers have worked hard to make this tournament a success, and the players will be sure to love it. Let’s take a look at some of the details.
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Organizers
The Reykjavik Open, which has been held every year since 1964, is an annual chess tournament in Iceland. The Reykjavik Open has been a chess lover’s dream for many years. It has been a popular event, as it attracts top players from around the world.
Previously, the event was held every two years. However, it now runs annually. Organizers are aiming to attract the best and the brightest chess players in the world. The tournament is proud to add Chessable as a sponsor.
In addition to the standard chess competition, there is a speed chess and children’s chess event. There are also lectures and a pub quiz.
Rules
As last year, we will play two days of double rounds. The event will be organized in a nine-round Swiss format in 7 days. The duration of the game is 40 moves and 90 minutes + 30 minutes after 40 moves. Starting from the first move, 30 seconds are added to each move. There were three main phases in the tournament – round robin, knockout and semi-finals.
FIDE rules apply. We will implement rule 6.7.1 in the following way. Any player who arrives at the board after the default time – 30 minutes – will lose the game, unless the arbiter decides otherwise.
Electronic devices/mobile phones (rule 11.3.2.1, 2, 3). During a tournament, players are prohibited from carrying cell phones, electronic communication devices or any device capable of suggesting moves while on the playing surface. However, these devices may be stored in the player’s bag, as long as the device is completely turned off. Players are not allowed to carry bags containing such devices without the permission of the arbiter. If such a device is found on a player’s person on the playing field, that player will lose the match. The opponent will win.
Players
The last Reykjavik Open in 2022 had 245 players from 39 countries, and the field included 22 grandmasters, seven of whom had ELO ratings of 2600 or higher. The event is supported by a FIDE Aid package.
While there are no official rankings, there are some notable movers and shakers in the competition. As well as the aforementioned champion, there is a young Indian star named Rameshbabu Pragganandhaa.
Some of the best chess players in the world have played at the Reykjavik Open, including Shahryar Mamedyarov, Anish Giri, Badul Chobava, Richard Laporte, Pavel Eljanov, Wesley So, Alexey Shirov, Indian prodigy Nihal Salem and last year’s champion Pragananda and 2019 champion Konstantin Lupulescu, as well as Alireza Firouzja, currently ranked #4 in the world, ended up in second place!
For the 2023 edition, it already have more than 200 masters registered for the tournament now, including 23 grandmasters and a number of other prestigious players. The current top seed is Nils Grandelius, the number one player from Sweden who comes to the tournament regularly, and other players will be joining the tournament soon!
Pragganandhaa Wins 2022 Reykjavik Open
Pragganandhaa is currently the fourth youngest GM in the world and has won several tournaments in recent months. The 2022 Reykjavik Open is a nine-round Swiss type affair. He took a strong first round lead at the Reykjavik Open and stayed on course to win the title.
This victory was a huge accomplishment and will give the Indian a deserved place in the history books. He now sits at the top of the World Chess Rankings and is on track to become the most dominant chess player in the world.
The young Indian chess player Rameshbabu Praggnanandha has been proving himself to be an impressive performer. Rameshbabu Praggnanandha started playing chess when he was just eight years old. He was introduced to the game by his parents. At the age of 10, he became an International Master.
He also won the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in 2022. He is the youngest person to defeat World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen since 2013. Aside from his successes in the chess arena, he has also exhibited tremendous capabilities in other fields.
Spring tournaments
The new April schedule adopted last year was designed to give chess players a better chance to enjoy Iceland when the island bursts into spring colors with warmer temperatures, allowing our guests to bask in the bright spring light and hopefully have that little extra energy to spend on the 64 squares.
Although close to the “off season” of this natural phenomenon, there is still the ability to witness the Northern Lights in April. Last year, some chess players visited at the beginning of the tournament and managed to catch a glimpse of the bright green lights.
Much more than a chess tournament
Iceland is one of the most fascinating places in the world to visit and play chess. As in previous years, a number of chess-themed events will coincide with the tournament, including the now-famous Reykjavik Open Chess Pub Quiz. Another highlight of the tournament is the Golden Circle sightseeing tour. Participants will visit Bobby Fischer’s grave in Selfoss and the nearby chess museum.