The Bolivian National Blitz Chess Championships

There are some experiences money could never buy; I was once offered the opportunity to play football with Masai tribesmen, absolutely priceless! These experiences leave you with the most wonderful memories and have often arrived in the most unexpected and surprising ways; Playing in the Bolivian National Blitz Chess Championsips is up there with the best of them.

Back in 2001, and following quick introductions the day before, I turned up at a sports stadium in the centre of Santa Cruz de la Sierra as a special guest invitee to the tournament.

(aside: Santa Cruz capital of the sweltering eastern plains is Bolivia's economic powerhouse, and home, according to Mario Vargas Llosa, to the most beautiful women in South America.)

Things in Bolivia seldom seem to run on time or quite according to plan, and of course, this tournament was no exception. On arriving at the stadium, 1o minutes before the expected start, I was told we were playing at a different venue, and coaches would be along shortly to transfer us.

An hour later, still no coaches and I was wondering why we simply hadn't walked. As we piled hastily into players cars and drove and drove, I began to realise why. We left the city far behind, paid our toll on the highway towards Brazil and bumped along as the road degraded into dirt track. Some 20 km out of the city, we arrived in a small village, took a left off the 'main road' and meandered through the houses before reaching the long approach to a 'Ponderosa' style ranch.

Round the back, was a long open-air veranda, bellowing 'bolivian fiesta' music, a huge ice filled dustbin complete with bottle upon bottle of beer, and the chess boards arranged on tables on the veranda. So this was chess bolivian style!

My main concern was not the beer being passed around liberally, nor the music, nor the opposition which included IM Johnny Cueto, and a young soon-to-be-grandmaster Osvaldo Zambrana. No, my biggest concern was that I was supposed to be meeting a potential father-in-law for the first time back in the city that evening. Oh well, how long could a blitz tournament last?!

A half decent tournament, including a draw against Johnny Cueto, slight intoxication, a last round in almost pitch darkness, and it was still before 7pm. I wouldn't be too late, just 'bolivian late' getting back to the city. What they'd neglected to tell me, was that no-one was going back to the city; it was churrasquera / fiesta time! Unfortunately duty got the better of us, and with some desperate pleading that we really did have to leave, one player took pity, foresook his beer temporarily and ferried us the kilometre or so back to the main road.

A bus journey sat next to a chicken later and I was in the city with one of the most incredible memories starting to burn itself indelibly into my brain... I suspect some of those guys are still partying.

If you fancy a game in Santa Cruz, visit the plaza and play in the open air or contact Javier Monroy at the local chess association.

Santa Cruz

Samaipata, the best chess club in the world

Few places can claim as magical a location as Samaipata. This gem of a town perches 1800 metres up in the Bolivian Andes; Parque Amboro, the edge of the Amazonian jungles and the most biodiverse place on the planet, flanks it to the North and East; the road in and out hugs the top of vast precipices; there are series of majestic waterfalls; and last, but not least, there is El Fuerte, one of the great Inca edifices and a world heritage site.

My first visit also revealed something else amazing, which needed a double take: driving (bouncing) along the main street we passed the local museum and then a house which I swore had a sign saying "Amigos del Ajedrez" (friends of chess). Stop, reverse, did it really say that, unbelievably it did. Ok, for those of you who don't play chess, why is this amazing:

1. Well, Samaipata may be beautiful, but it's remote and only has about 1000 people
2. Chess clubs in England can't afford their own buildings
3. Heavens, chess clubs in England can't even afford their own sign!

Amigos del Ajedrez, Samaipata isn't just a chess club though... it's the best chess club in the world. Push open the door (which, by the way, appears to be open 7 days / week, 24 hours / day) and you'll find out why. The club is on three floors sweeping around an open courtyard (complete with giant chess set). There are tournament rooms, lecture rooms, tables flanking the staircase, a reading room complete with portraits of all the world champions, a chess cafe, a restuarant, computers, a vast (and full) trophy cabinet and accomodation. Most importantly, there is a constant buzz as players, including hordes of enthusiastic juniors, flow in and out all day. I knew chess was more important in South America, but this has to be seen to be believed.

I've played in Samaipata twice, been warmly welcomed each time, and then lined up for their most talented youngsters to take 5-minute pot-shots at. On my first visit I chatted with a Prof. Wolfgang Paulin, a German who had founded the club in 1997, and on my second with the principal trainer, Prof. Rolando Luna. I've never been anywhere like it.

Samaipata also boasts everything you'd expect of an small Andean town, deeply rutted mud and clay roads, a butchers with meat 2 or 3 times a week, tablecloths over window-sills to indicate bread is available to buy, the most welcoming and friendly people, and fresh fruit dropping from the trees. Its location also means it offers rustic restaurants, tours of the jungle, and accomodation including backpacking, cabanas and stunning houses. What's more it's on the newly opened Che Guevara trail, he fought a skirmish here shortly before his death in nearby Vallegrande.

If you get the chance, visit!

If you've been to the Moscow Central Club, or somewhere else great... bring on the debate!

Samaipata