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Darwin Strategic
Simpson’s in the Strand, London on 8th September 2010
English Chess Federation President, CJ de Mooi, cordially invites you
to an evening of fundraising for the Karpov 2010 campaign as the FIDE
President and also to raise awareness and funds for British Chess.
Guests of Honour will be former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov,
former World Chess Challenger Michael Adams, former World Chess Challenger
Nigel Short and a host of other world class chess Grandmasters.
Your evening will include
5pm – Reception and Chess portraits art show by Barry Martin
–
The Official Artist of the 1993 and 2000 World Chess Championships
6pm – Seat to watch Grandmaster consultation chess games
8.30pm – Simpson’s Classics Dinner with a Grandmaster at
every table
11.00pm – Thanks and Carriages
The dress code will be Black and White.
I do hope you will be able to attend and please RSVP by 31st July 2010
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The "Grandmaster at every table" will include, we are told, Anatoly
Karpov, Garry Kasparov, Nigel Short, Michael Adams, Luke McShane, David Howell,
Stephen Gordon, Daniel King, John Emms and Raymond Keene. Garry v Nigel and
Michael v Luke will be where people can bid to accompany the players in consultation
one hour games, where each person makes alternate moves (similar to the NYC
format). There will also be impromptu blitz simuls by Garry Kasparov and Nigel
Short.
To accompany the grand evening on the 8th of September Barry Martin will be
showing images from the Seventh Staunton Memorial Chess Tournament that was
held at Simpson's-in-the-Strand in August 2009. It will be the first time they
have ever been exhibited. A large drawing (above) from the Kasparov-Short 1993
World Championship, created in the Savoy Theatre where the match was held, will
also make a return.
For more information and tickets please contact CJ
de Mooi, the President of the English Chess Federation. The email address
is president@englishchess.org.uk.
Simpson’s-in-the-Strand
The Grand Cigar Divan –
The Home of Chess
In 1828, Samuel Reiss, opened the Grand Cigar Divan on the site of the Fountain
Tavern which had been the home of the famous literary association, the Kit Kat
Club.
The establishment soon developed as a coffee house, where gentlemen smoked
cigars with their coffee, browsed over the daily journals and newspapers, indulged
in lengthy conversations about the politics of the day and played chess, sitting
on comfortable divans or sofas. Many of these divans were arranged to form boxes
and these can still be seen today. Regular visitors would pay one guinea a year
for the use of the facilities and cups of coffee. The daily entrance fee for
others was 6d (2½ p) or 1/6d (9p) with coffee and a cigar.
Simpson's-in-the-Strand in London today
The entrance to the Grand Divan (originally the "Grand Cigar Divan")
Historical pictures on the walls of the staircases
Two more recent players whom you might recognise in the paintings on the walls
Simpson's-in-the-Strand, 100 Strand, London, WC2R
0EW
Telephone: 020-7836 9112 – Fax: 020-7836 1381
Email – Website |
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