The Montreal Open Chess Championship 2009
A patzer's eye view of the road to and from Ahuntsic

With gathered links to postscripts on the event in French and English (see below)

by Don McLean
September 19, 2009

 

No doubt Day One of the tournament held many surprises and discoveries for many people. Traveling from Verdun, my first surprise come in the form of Montreal's Friday rush hour madness and the cramped conditions of local transit that made me glad to have left the laptop at home. So it was with a sense of great relief that I soon found myself standing on the empty corner of Sauve and Parthenais streets none the worse for wear. There I scoped out my only pedestrian option, which meant walking a beeline north along Parthenais Street to parts unknown.

It had been my original plan to familiarize myself with St Martyr's hall and its surroundings before the players, moms, dads and spectators arrived and although it seemed impossible that I should actually lose my way walking down a one way street, as I strolled along Parthenais, my doubts began to mount. Fortunately, while in the process of examining the facade of a large church bearing the St. Martyr's name, I met up with Samuel, a London chess player and his cabbie, who were both as confused as I about the actual whereabouts of the tournament. Gradually our confusion melted away as we came to realize that St Martyr's was actually a complex of church, school and community buildings clustered around the same four-way intersection.

The first chess problem of the day solved, like two advancing pawns, we quickly made our way to the home square - which was not the grand old architectural masterpiece my partner, Janet Newton of Goddesschess and perhaps many others had originally assumed. Rather, the actual location turned out to be the gymnasium, classrooms and hallways of a sixties style elementary school situated in a neighbourhood of modest residential duplexes and small houses - all quite humble appearing in comparison to the elegance of Montreal City Hall pictured in some of the online advertisements for the tournament.

Chess is, of course, where you find it and what you make of it. Once the game begins, the only concern is for a calm and comfortable location, which the gymnasium and classrooms of the St. Martyr's school proved to be - most of the time... but that time was not now.

After taking a quick video tour of the hall and it's interior, I established my position outdoors - a convenient location from which I could concentrate on the individuals who had begun filing up to the registration desk. As I watched, a rather large knot of men, women and children formed before my eyes and in very little time the front desk area had disappeared behind a flood of last minute applicants. Many players, young, old, male, female, amateur and accomplished alike had apparently made their decision to join at the last possible hour - a pleasant and very welcome surprise that eventually caused a delay in the actual tournament proceedings. Taking the unexpected in full stride, tournament director, Bernard Ouimet later informed me that this year's registration topped the 190 mark - a figure some believed would be impossible to reach. Among this number, twenty women of varying ages and abilities posed another record for this event and as Day 1 came to a close, even a total newcomer such as myself could sense that here was obviously something special in the air...

After gathering in random comments from Bernard and many of the tournament's participants, I find it difficult to point out any single factor that may be held responsible for this unexpected groundswell of popularity. While solid sponsorship, extra publicity, networking and prize money seem to have contributed handsomely, among players themselves, the notion that invisible winds of change may have contributed to the tournament's success was frequently voiced. These comments emerged along with guarded speculation that although phenomenally popular, computer and online gaming present poor substitutes for the kind of face to face play people often crave. Most certainly, those who offered this opinion could be accused of a particular bias and yet, the aura of a mini-Woodstock circulated freely throughout the duration of an event that appeared to coalesce around a certain "je ne sais quoi" native Montrealers have experienced for themselves many times before. As the frequent instigator of new trends and catapult for emerging talents, Montreal's unique charter seems to have blown new life into an old game - with the local chess community taking a lead role in signaling how openness to innovative change remains an important touchstone that can be used to help expand upon and popularize future explorations into a classical chess tradition that apparently required only a slight facelift and a little extra push for it to become attractive and youthful once again.

"If you build it they will come" is a slogan that seems to best describe the overall effect of this year's Montreal Open Chess Championship. A second slogan, "Nothing succeeds like success" is one that may define the coming months and years. Altogether, "Nothing ventured nothing gained" summarizes the ambitious planning and hard work a small core of organizers and volunteers helped evolve into this year's Montreal 2009 initiative.

The beneficiary of additional efforts and resources extended by a few to the many, the communitarian and "open" nature of this mixed age tournament showed how it is the people of chess who make the game imaginative, accessible and highly sociable. In this regard the 2009 Montreal Open Chess Championship excelled as the blend of age groups, cultural backgrounds and genders created a breathtaking mosaic of human diversity. Indeed, for those who, like myself, had no previous experience with any kind of organized chess tournament, this was an ideal place to learn about the various elements contributing not only to technical aspects of the game but some important cultural ones as well.

During recess moments and even while taking occasional breaks from their tables, players joined with spectators, giving freely and generously of their time and expertise as small pockets of conversation gathered and disbanded repeatedly in the outdoor area I had staked out earlier. These discussions ranged widely from tactical problems, game analysis, historical footnotes about the origins of the game, anecdotal profiles of today's famous players, to what it was like being a local "chess mom". Like so many penetrating rays reaching out of a fog of affable and at times very animated chaos, it seemed patently clear that new friends were being made at a record pace. In fact, when looking back upon my many and varied personal encounters, I now regret that dozens of effervescent moments arose that went officially unrecorded as throughout the full three day length of the 2009 Montreal Open, "living chess" surged from behind the screen of virtual appearances to reposition it's true face amid a highly verbal and visual foreground of human actors.

Fortunately for journalists, chess players love to talk almost as much as they love to play - so much so that even a notorious talker like myself could barely keep up. Lasting impressions - all of them very good - were what I took with me as I strolled quietly away from the final day's events feeling somewhat overwhelmed by unexpected riches and sensing also that the greatest jewels in the crown of Montreal's living chess community project gleaming enthusiasms that can hardly be expressed in words alone. I came away from the tournament with something of the priceless lessons to be learned by watching others share common interests in a broad range of languages other than French or English, for although Russian, Chinese and Spanish commentary may have escaped my understanding, the passion of different speakers could not escape general notice.

Perhaps. after all is said and done, this year's event showed how comfortably the international game of chess fits within the cosmopolitan nature of a World City already well known for its impressive openness to diversity, innovation and the way Montrealers have traditionally provided a stage for new actors and new thresholds of accomplishment to greet a welcoming world. As the tables and the planet slowly turn to favor what is best and most complimentary about the competitive human spirit, the bright lights of a spirited city pinpoint one source of energy that has already begun to spread word of a special achievement across broader horizons.

Though we see through this glass but darkly, the future looks promising for all the talented and fearless chessmen and women of the 2009 Montreal Open Championship. May they all promote to the heights and with them a kinder, gentler vision of the type of global chess we wish upon future stars of a game that is not simply a game, but also a medium that lends itself to special learning activities that are not solely mathematical in nature. By giving repeated check to chess we come upon a unique communicative means whereby we may learn about ourselves and the world around us with the help of our opponents. No one ever loses while en route to becoming the very best one can possibly be and in retrospect, I would have to say that wherever and whenever chess plants its mark in the soil of a particular location, good things, good people and good friends cannot fail to grow.

Though invisible to the naked eye and incalculable in its variety, winds of positive change swirling from the center of every chess game may also bring us to places of the heart that the mind has difficulty seeing. That is the great secret of chess and probably the reason behind all reasons for a game that, as though guided by its own impressive instincts, seeks attractive cities with royal mountaintops and bold towers upon which to plant new flags of conquest. Thus, as we stand before the summit of this recent Montreal engagement to help crown a new king and queen, it becomes increasingly clear that a chess player's greatest conquest resembles mastery over a stunning paradox - namely, his or herself!

At the very least, a glimpse into the spice box of perennial questions and answers provides everyone with a place setting at the cusp of a vast reflecting pool of accumulated wisdom that has somehow condensed itself into sixty four squares and thirty two pieces. Whether we see chess as a square meal or a portable library for all seasons, even as the 2010 Montreal Championships takes shape in the capable minds of its organizers, the 2009 event provides an important volume of experiences upon which tomorrow's enterprise will draw as interest in local chess continues to unfold and expand, like the universe itself.

 

 

postscripts
September 19, 2009

The 2009 Montreal Open Chess Championship
has officially ended - but the memories will last a lifetime.

The following paragraphs, offer links to articles, photos, and videos highlighting the players and organizers who made this year's event the most successful ever! Chess is on the rise in Quebec and Montreal organizers are helping to break new ground...

Special thanks to Bernard Ouimet, and his hard working staff of volunteers.

Goddesschess looks forward to sharing in the creation of a bright future for Montreal's growing chess community.

Montreal Chess Championship 2009 Goddesschess was deeply involved with women sponsorship this year and a record number of women registered for this historical 89th annual event.

Goddesschess: provides photos and raw video of the tournament for your viewing and downloading pleasure! A brief slideshow presentation is currently in the works... Please stay tuned!

Unedited Series of Photos (110) at Photobucket

Video Day 1

Video Day 2

Video Day 3

(Updated Nov. 22/09) Salome Melia: An informal interview with Montreal's newly crowned chess queen - (with apologies from the cameraman!)

A nice photo tour of Salome Melia's simul - thanks to Fédération québécoise des échecs - held Saturday Sept. 17th at Cafe Pi. Goddesschess has an eye for Cafe Pi... 4127 St Laurent Blvd., Montreal, Quebec.

Goddesschess Blog:
Highlights recipients of Goddesschess Divisional Awards. Special kudos to the record number of women who joined in the competition!

Monroi:
Final Standings - All Divisions

Facebook & Twitter:
Playing a pivotal role in relaying links to all commentary... Facebook - continues to provide a complete source page for the Montreal showcase. Twitter - is also present, are are discussions on various local chess sites.

Chesstalk:
A nice overview of the event in French...
Jean Hebert on Chesstalk

Federation Quebcois des Echecs:
A synopsis of the tournament and it's future - in French with several photos

Congratulations to the new king of Montreal Chess! Jean Hébert (MI) remporte le CHOM 2009 - by Richard Berube

Le Champion du Canada a ajouté Montréal à son tableau de chasse. Après le Championnat inivitation du Québec en janvier et le Championnat semi-fermé du Canada en août dernier, le MI Jean Hébert a ajouté le Championnat ouvert de Montréal à sa collection (11-12-13 sept). Il l'emporte seul grâce à un score de 4½/5. Le tournoi a vu la participation de 191 joueurs, dont 2 GMs et 8 MI. Plusieurs experts québécois ont renoué avec la compétition. Une telle participation pour un système suisse de week end ne s'était pas vu depuis plus de 10 ans à Montréal.

Hébert parle échecs Volume 2, number 35 Week of September 14, 2009 - Carl Bilodeau's English translation (somewhat rough) of a September 14, 2009 column done in French by IM Jean Hebert, who took first place in the Montreal Open Championship. It provides unique insight into the Championnat. Enjoy! (Thanks again Carl!)

Some recent articles by Rene Bruemmer ...

The road to grand master A Chess player from Longueuil (a Montreal suburb) is the Canadian champion, and now he wants to take on the world. A nice biographical sketch of an "intuitive" local talent.

Introduced as part of math curriculum, chess teaches students about logic It appears that worries the Internet and its abundance of virtual chess boards would spell the end for local chess clubs were unfounded. "People still prefer to interact with flesh and blood," said Marc Poulin, president of the Quebec Chess Federation. "They like the community nature of clubs, which is something you can't get on the Internet. ... Chess is on the rise in Quebec."