Why are some tournaments more popular than others and what constitutes the main reasons why chess players chose one instead of another? The main three are, I think, money, location and reputation.
The BCC Open is a well run and well-respected tournament globally, and has been for 15-20 years. Despite the cost of entry being high, and the 5 star hotel it’s housed in not exactly cheap, some thirty or more titled players have signed up alredy; fourteen of them being GMs and one a WGM, more are expected to follow: in total one hundred and sixty have entered the open, with just under six weeks to go until it commences…perhaps another fifty or more will sign up in time. It is the apogee of the Thai chess scene, which is indeed booming in the capital more so than elsewhere. Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra visited it once when the women’s world champion at the time Hou Yifan rolled into town.
It’s appeal lies, primarily, in it’s destination, since Thailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet, so many like to come, play some chess and have a bit of a holiday too! It’s reputation is renowned, former BCC champion Jan Gustafsson, once a second to Magnus Carlsen, invited him to join him once during live streaming, to which Carlsen politely smiled and did not take too seriously. The torunament has a lot of respect at all levels of the game, and GM Nigel Short has written many articles on it in New in Chess, at least one of which was a brilliant advert for the tournament. It has not yet lost its popularity or prestige. I used to be the official photographer until I kinda dropped out of tournament chess.
Should you fancy a chess filled holiday in the sun in a city with so much to offer, and the opportunity to make new friends, what have you got to lose? It’s by far the best tournament in south east asia, with it’s cosmopolitan competitors making it one of the best in Asia also. It’s better understood as a global event than a local or asian event, as they often desribed as national tournaments, not welcoming to foreigners just accepting only, and are often overlooked or receive little reportage. Yes they also have an open section but its not open in the full sense of the word like it is at the BCC, it’s about right to describe most major open chess tournaments in Asia as a little closed off and unestablished globally. There are of course major closed tourments in China going on byt they are for professional players only. The BCC is an open tournament in every sense of the word with numerous, perhaps even copius, nations being represented. It’s a truly global event. Given how low the prize money is, this is something to be proud of.
It’s a wonderful celebration of chess and enjoyed by so many, some of which are regulars and have been for a decade or more. It so rarely, if ever, receives complaints of any kind and exemplifies more so than anything else how chess is booming in Bangkok as there will be lots of Thai kids there of all ages, believe me. And by lots, I estimate 50 or so, maybe more but I doubt it. And believe me, they are good. It’s going on in all the international schools here now, the generation coming through will be very strong, I said at the chess club last week, Thailand will probably get it’s first Grandmaster from one of them, they already have an IM.
Thai people are lovely, Bangkok is great with lots to do and see, the atmosphere in the tournament professional. It’s not just liked or popular, it’s well-liked and super-popular, despite numbers still being down post Covid.
To end on a personal note: the last game I played there my opponent was ELO 1999 or ELO 1996, not entirely sure. I beat him with the French defence but now he’s about 2500!
It ticks all the boxes, so why not give it a go… .
Mark. J. McCready
McCreadyandChess 