The Uzbekistan chess team is one of the stars participating in the fourth edition of the tournament EL LLOBREGAT OPEN CHESS. Uzbekistan has excelled in chess, with players such as Nordibek Abdusattorov, who won the previous edition of the Open and went on to become world rapid games champion. The tournament has 207 high-level players and the increase in participants is not expected to affect the average ELO level. In addition, this Wednesday a simultaneous championship in Viladecans -as a prelude to the competition- with the presence of the Iranian player Sara Khadem.
The Uzbekistan chess team, one of the last minute surprises of the fourth edition of the chess tournament EL LLOBREGAT OPEN CHESS (to be held at the Can Massallera venue in Sant Boi from November 30 to December 8), has departed early this Wednesday to El Prat airport, where it is scheduled to land at 13.30 hours. The Uzbek team, composed of some thirty players, will participate in group B of the tournament, after the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Uzbekistan applied for registration almost at the deadline.
The relationship between El Llobregat Open Chess and Uzbekistan is solid and cordial. In 2021, Uzbek Grandmaster (GM) Nordibek Abdusattorov won the third edition of EL LLOBREGAT OPEN CHESS. Weeks later, Abdusattorov was proclaimed world rapid champion, dethroning Magnus Carlsen himself. The chess power of this former Soviet republic is on the rise and its latest generation of players is increasingly shining at world level. Proof of this is that last year their national team made a splash by winning the Olympics.
The fourth edition of EL LLOBREGAT OPEN CHESS is attended by a total of 207 players of high competitive level, surpassing the number of registered players in the third edition, which was 175 players, which represents an increase in participation of 15%. Of these 207 entries, 187 have international titles (either Grand Masters (GM), Grand Masters (WGM), International Masters (IM), FIDE Masters (FM), FIDE Masters (WGM) and Candidate Masters (CM)). The presence of 58 GMs is noteworthy. The increase in the number of participants will not mean a decrease in the average ELO, the rating system used by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) to rank players according to their quality of play. In 2022, the average ELO level of the championship stood at exactly 2,474 points and this year the combined figure is estimated to be above 2,300 points.
Simultaneous in Viladecans
The tournament of Sant Boi has as a prelude this Wednesday the celebration of a championship of simultaneous games in the equipment Podium of Viladecans, in which participates Sara Khadem, 26 years old, who is number 15 in the international ranking and this year is the ambassador of the fourth edition of EL LLOBREGAT OPEN CHESS.
Khadem had to flee Iran, along with her son and husband because she refused to wear the veil at the World Rapid Chess Championship held in Kazakhstan. After requesting political asylum in Spain, he was granted Spanish nationality and has just participated in the Spanish Chess Championship, held in Malaga (October 13-21). In this tournament she has finished in tenth position, which has made her the best ranked player in the absolute ranking and therefore, she has become the new female champion of Spain.
