Stuart Conquest wins Capo d'Orso Open

The "Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Caissa Italia" is a Rome-based chess club, part of the Italian Chess Federation. It is best known for the organization of high-quality chess events throughout the country, from Sicily to Umbria, from Latium to Sardinia. Probably the most prestigious event organized by the club is the "Città di Rocca di Papa" rapid chess tournament, the second most important eveent of this type in Italy, In 2006 it was won by living legend Grand Master Viktor Korchnoj. In 2007 a new chess event was staged in Sardinia, the "1st International Open Capo d'Orso", in cooperation with Club Scacchi Tempio and Caissa Italia editore. This year the "Capo d'Orso" was held from May 16-23 in Porto Mannu, Sardinia.

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The Porto Mannu bay, under the shadow of the Homeric Capo d’Orso (Bear Cape) near Palau, is one of the most beautiful locations in Sardinia. Just minutes away from world-renowned Porto Cervo and Porto Raphael, or the magnificent Emerald Coast, the Porto Mannu resort faces the Natural Sea Park and Archipelagus of the La Maddalena Island. On site you will find all that is needed for an unforgettable chess-and-vacation experience: private white sand beach, two swimming pools, beauty center and spa, diving center and of course excellent Italian food, wine and hospitality!

More than just a chess tournament

Report by Bettina Trabert

This year the Capo d'Orso was staged for just the third time, but it already has a good reputation. It is not only one of Italy's strongest opens – this year there were 178 players from 21 nations. It has also become known that it is more than just a chess tournament, it is a two-week "chess happening", which turns the holiday residence "Porto Mannu" into a "chess village", occupied by 33 titled players and around 150 amateurs, plus families and friends. A wonderful way to take a summer break and combine it with chess.

An inspiring view from the playing hall towards the Mediterranean Sea

In the playing hall, a view of the lower boards in action

A second norm, for WGM, was reached by Deysi Cori, a young player from Peru

Great excitement at the end: Stuart Conquest and Tiger Hillarp Persson, surrounded by kibitzers, analyse their dramatic final round game, in which Tiger typically sacrificed two exchanges and was at one stage clearly winning. All the games of the final round were hard-fought – probably part of the special atmosphere that is palpable in Porto Mannu.

Here one of the stars of the tournament: 19-year-old Daniele Vocaturo from Rome (left), who led for a good part of the tournament and made a GM norm. Next to Daniele is his trainer GM Mihail Marin from Romania, playing against the young Argentinian GM Damian Lemos.

Organizer Yuri Garret celebrating Daniele's norm and the prospect of a new Italian grandmaster

Yuri doing the celebratory thing with winner GM Stuart Conquest, but for some reason
not with GM Igor Naumkin, who was just half a point behind Conquest

Final top standings (of 178 players)

The winner, Stuart Conquest, is shown in a cartoon by the artist Marciello Carriero working for Caissa Italia, one of the partners in this event. Here are a few more of his cartoons:

Astengo vs Naumkin: Maestro, what do you say about my queen? – Beautiful, but I've seen better

Sergei Tiviakov vs Daniele Vocaturo: Okay, stalemate?

In all a wonderful chess event, which is the work of the two hosts Allesandra Ariotto and Stefano Lupini, as well as Yuri Garret and his team of assistants. We can only hope that the Capo d’Orso tournaments will continue for many years to come!

Pictures by Bettina Trabert, cartoons by Marciello Carriero

Impressions from Capo d'Orso and Porto Mannu

By GM Sergey Tiviakov and his father Nikolay Tiviakov

The Porto Mannu Hotel complex

The Maddalena Archipelago

Philippe le Bel, King of France, ordered the construction of the Saint André Fort as a symbol of royal power in opposition to the popes of Avignon and to the lands of the Holy Roman Empire.

The fortified wall was built to protect the Benedictine abbey and the small town of Saint André

The view from the fort – simply spectacular

One of the more beautiful denizens of early Summer in Sardinia

Sea urchins – spiny but delicious (yes, Virginia, you can eat them – raw in fact)

A sea star – this beautiful creature feeds on clams and mussels by injecting their stomachs into the shells and digesting the mollusks in place. They also enjoy sea urchins for starters.

Our photographer Nikolay Tiviakov with GM Naumkin Igor on the beach

Grandmaster on the rocks – GM Sergey Tiviakov, who provided these pictures

Links Official tournament site All available games in zipped PGN Many games were broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse the PGN games.