Wijk aan Zee 2014

The tradition of our January meeting in Wijk aan Zee lives on - Guy Van Habberney has written a short report on the event, and Michael Negele has provided many photographs.

[Updated 24-01-2014: 3 photos added, provided by Andreas Saremba]

  • A kind welcome by the hotel
  • An eye-catcher in the meeting room: our well-known Ken Whyld poster

On January 18, the KWA held – as is customary – an informal meeting in Wijk aan Zee. Bob van de Velde had arranged for a magnificent meeting room in hotel Het Hoge Duin. Some 19 members attended, and heard a short introduction by the chairman. Michael Negele was thanked with a surprise present for all his years and efforts at the service of the KWA. He will also be made honorary member of the KWA.

  • Chairman Guy Van Habberney
  • A part of the attendees, from left: Guy Van Habberney, Andreas Saremba, Harrie Grondijs, Bert Corneth, Leo Hovestadt, Henri Serruys, Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam
  • From left: Alexander Baburin, Ron Bleeker (partly hidden), Jurgen Stigter, Bernd Ellinghoven and Bob van de Velde

Since we now are a fully fledged Foundation-Association, the tasks of the new board members were also explained:

Guy Van Habberney: Chairman, charged with overall coordination and Public Relations, including CSQ;
John Donaldson: Deputy Chairman, responsible for North American members and outreach to Cleveland, Saint Louis and Mechanics Institute;
Bert Corneth: Publications and outreach to Royal Library in the Hague;
Andreas Saremba: Database, including memberships, website and outreach to Kiel library;
Michael Clapham: Treasurer and Secretary;
Ralf Binnewirtz: Webmaster (not a member of the board).

  • Two Dutch members: Remco Heite and Ton de Vreede
  • Henri Serruys and Harrie Grondijs
  • GM Alexander Baburin (who attended for the first time a KWA meeting) and Ron Bleeker

After a brief Q&A session, GM Alex Baburin then gave a brief but very interesting overview of how he developed his auction website. This was followed by a short pause, when members could do what they are really good at: buying and selling chess books. Hotel Het Hoge Duin had even arranged for a surprise vendor, in the person of Mr. Oving of 'Mulder Boekenvreugd'.

Willem Oving in his chess shop (in Zutphen)
Willem Oving in his chess shop (in Zutphen)

GM Baburin then gave a simul, where opponents could choose their color and were allowed two passes. He duly clobbered the chairman, Bert Corneth, Henri Serruys, Jurgen Stigter, Remco Heite, Andreas Saremba and Erik Corneth (a new junior member), but was held to a draw by Michael Negele, Harrie Grondijs and Willem Oving.

  • Start of the simul - Alexander Baburin and top arbiter Geurt Gijssen. Naturally a simul at only 10 boards was no real challenge for the GM.
  • The simul after a few moves - in the front Bert Corneth
  • New board member Andreas Saremba
  • Erik Corneth (son of Bert Corneth) fully concentrates on the position.
  • Harrie Grondijs and Henri Serruys, Bob van de Velde as kibitzer
  • Jurgen Stigter in deep thoughts
  • Remco Heite, a rare guest of our meetings
  • Alex Baburin playing against Michael Negele

Here is the game, fittingly a Dutch Stonewall - quite well played by Michael, and with short comments by him:

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18-01-2014[Negele, Michael]

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baburin-negele.pgn (897.0 Byte)

Conclusion of peace: it was the next-to-last game and we wanted to go to dinner ...

A chess still life - and a good motto (not only for chess players)!
A chess still life - and a good motto (not only for chess players)!

Happy and exhausted, the majority of the members then had dinner together, where a good time was had by all.

  • Jurgen Stigter with Alex Baburin
  • Bob van de Velde, Andreas Saremba, Alain Fayard and Calle Erlandsson
  • Alexander Baburin with Michael Negele
  • Alain Fayard (meanwhile a Belgian citizen) and Calle Erlandsson
  • Michael Negele playing an after dinner game against Erik Corneth - again a Dutch opening!

Michael Negele still reported that he had a very pleasant Sunday in Amsterdam at Winifred and Bob van de Velde and another visit in Wijk aan Zee. Obviously Tata Steel spends meanwhile less in the tournament: the Tata Steel Chess 2014 has a formidable lineup in the Masters group, however 12 participants only. There are 14 players in in the Challengers group, but with a significant downward slope of playing strength.

  • Tata Steel Chess - the tournament hall, game Naiditsch vs Dominguez.
  • A view of the playing area
  • Alain Fayard played in the Amateur Group 1A - this time Michael Negele as kibitzer

Both Leo Hovestadt (together with his Raindrop Chess friends) and Rob Spaans (with his NIC shop) had been excluded from the regular commercial area, so they had to find other stands elsewhere (and pay high rents): Rob Spaans in a corner of the pub "De Zon", Leo Hovestadt quite far away (by foot) from the tournament hall.

  • Rob Spaans in his NIC shop
  • Leo Hovestadt with his Raindrop Chess stand

You will find more about Raindrop Chess on the following pages:

A panoramic view
A panoramic view

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