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New tables, new opportunities
Jesús Medina Molina initiated a national program in the Netherlands which promotes the placement of public chess tables in open spaces. Medina has succeeded in getting his initiative approved in 21 Dutch cities so far, with the first three public tables inaugurated in Máxima Park in Utrecht back in 2018.
Not only has Medina worked in IT and tourism, but he also holds a Bachelor’s degree in education. Fluent in Dutch, Spanish, English and Italian, he learned to play chess when his daughter was struggling in school he thought that chess might help her to strengthen her calculation skills.
St. Louis Chess Club
Grandmaster Jorden van Foreest won the 2021 Wimbledon of Chess. He s shown here in the 2019 Fall Classic Tournament.
The 2021 Tata Steel Chess tournament just wrapped up at the end of January. The “Wimbledon of Chess,” as it is known among many chess fans, is a traditional event held in the small Dutch town of Wijk aan Zee. Tata typically invites the very best players from around the world. This year, the organizers decided to invite the world’s best juniors and prodigies instead.
The event started out slow for reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsen. The Norwegian tried to climb back to the top of the field, but much to everyone s surprise, the 18-year-old Russian grandmaster, Andrey Esipenko, stopped Carlsen’s ascent to the top. This left grandmasters Alireza Firouzja and Anish Giri vying for first place before the last three rounds.