(Reuter wirephoto)
This article from The Khaleej Times was gathered by Roberto Hernandez while working as musician in Bahrain from January 1987-April 1989.
DMAZATLAN (Mexico) -- Some of the globe's top chess players battled against each other and the clock on Sunday, at the opening of the first World Active Chess Championship.
Former world champion Anatoly Karpov of the Soviet Union won his first round match well within the time limit but others took their game to the wire in the $150,000 tournament of rapid chess.
While Karpov appeared to have little difficulty with fellow Soviet Nana Ioseliani, other players found their pieces literally flying off the board as they attempted to finish their matches within the 60-minute time limit.
Walter Browne of the United States frantically made his final moves against cool 14-year-old Hungarian Zsofia Polgar, before the two agreed to a first round draw.
Active chess is an attempt to make the sport more palatable for a mass television audience.
"In general it's less beautiful but it's much more exciting, even for the players," said Horst Metzing, general secretary of the West German Chess Federation.
Unlike traditional chess where single matches can last over six hours, active chess must be finished within an hour with each player having 30 minutes to make his moves.
The active form is an effort by chess players and promoters to gain a larger audience and television coverage for a sport traditionally limited to a hardcore following of aficionados.
With increase popularity, there would be more money for national and international chess federations as well as for players, tournament organizers said.
"If television is interested, the sponsors are interested," Metzing said.
The Active Chess Championship, being played through Saturday in Mazatlan on Mexico's Pacific coast, is being televised to the United States and Europe by a Mexican television network.
Source: The Khaleej Times
Tuesday
December 13, 1988
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