Personal Biathlon: 10K Running and Grand Prix Chess Tournament in one day

I recently repeated my ultimate personal challenge: participating in a major running competition and a high-stakes chess tournament on the exact same day. Taking advantage of the fact that the OMV Bucharest 10K and the Bucharest Chess Grand Prix lined up once again, I signed up for both, determined to beat my 2025 results. Part … Continue reading Personal Biathlon: 10K Running and Grand Prix Chess Tournament in one day →

Inside the World’s Largest Open Chess Tournament

The GRENKE Chess Festival is easily my favorite event on the calendar, and returning for my third time this year only confirms it. With 3,658 participants in 2026, it has solidified its spot as the world's largest open tournament. Beyond the scale, what keeps me coming back is the impeccable organization and a vibe you … Continue reading Inside the World’s Largest Open Chess Tournament →

Małoposka international chess championship 2025

In the second half of June, I participated in the 35th edition of the International Chess Championship of Małopolska. It was held once again at the Galaxy Hotel in Kraków. This marked my third appearance at the tournament, following my previous participations in 2022 and 2024. The organization was excellent, just like in past editions, … Continue reading Małoposka international chess championship 2025 →

A Personal Duathlon: Running and Chess in Bucharest

A traditional duathlon typically combines running and cycling. It’s less well-known than the triathlon, which includes swimming, cycling, and running—in that order. In both formats, the winner is the person who crosses the finish line first. While I was in Bucharest this May, I experienced a rare coincidence. Two major sporting events were scheduled for … Continue reading A Personal Duathlon: Running and Chess in Bucharest →

Chess – now and then

This post is split into two parts. The first part talks about my chess activity, and the second part is about the world of chess on the eve of a special celebration. The two parts are independent, and the second one is more interesting. Part I Recently, I played in two chess tournaments in Krakow. … Continue reading Chess – now and then →

Grenke chess tournament 2024

Five years after playing in the Grenke chess tournament, it finally resumed after being canceled due to COVID-19. With around 2600 participants, it became the largest chess tournament globally, thanks to the rising popularity of chess. The festival featured four tournaments catering to players of different skill levels. The event's unique atmosphere was highlighted as players from various backgrounds gathered to compete. Notably, the tournament had outstanding playing conditions but suffered from noise issues. Although the author felt satisfied with their performance, they offered constructive criticism to the organizers. Ultimately, they expressed a desire to return due to the tournament's positive energy and atmosphere.

Chess story

A chess enthusiast plans to attend a tournament, but due to unexpected changes, turns to write about the game instead, focusing on the Polgar experiment. Laszlo Polgar, a Hungarian psychologist, believed in cultivating geniuses via early and specialized education. To prove his theory, his daughters became exceptional chess players, with the youngest, Judit, becoming the highest-rated female player globally for over 25 years. Despite criticisms and gender biases, Polgar's experiment illustrates the impact of focused childhood training, even suggesting implications for potential advances in science and medicine.

European Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship 2022

This year’s edition of the European Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship was a great success. The event was hosted in the same location as in 2021, the Spodek Arena in Katowice. What makes this tournament special is the combination of a big arena, band music, and over 900 competitors playing each other for a weekend. … Continue reading European Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship 2022 →

Run around the house and chess in Bucharest

During WWII, while working in Bletchley Park to break the Enigma code, Alan Turing invented a game that combined chess and running. The contest rules: You sit with your opponent in front of a chess table. You make your move and run around the house. The other player has to move before you return. Once you … Continue reading Run around the house and chess in Bucharest →

European Rapid and Blitz Chess Tournament 2021

The European Rapid and Blitz Chess Tournament venue, Katowice, is a Polish city with modern urban architecture. It looks more like an American city, and it has tall buildings in the center and wide streets and boulevards. It also has a vast sports arena called Spodek, which translates to "saucer". The Spodek Arena was the … Continue reading European Rapid and Blitz Chess Tournament 2021 →