Chess and economy

The ongoing global financial crisis continues to create problems not only in the overall global economy but also in specific social activities such as a chess tournament.

Have you read this news posted in the USCF website?

" . . . the industrial group Corus announcing massive job cuts soon after the start of the tournament cannot have raised the spirits of the Wijk aan Zee locals, many of whom rely on employment from the nearby Corus steelworks.

Corus’ cost cutting was also evident around the town. Many of the giant signs on bridges and in fields, which greeted visitors to Wijk aan Zee in years past, were missing. Even the press were grumpy when they discovered that their traditional supply of Dutch treats such as Chocomel and Appelsap had been replaced by a mini-fridge containing bottles of water."

The impact is real. If the world's economic problems persist, I fear that the major international chess tournaments would be affected in the near future.

Interestingly, the 1st Gov. Umali Chess Cup -- which undoubtedly was the grandest local chess tournament in the country -- was staged even when the global economy, including the Philippines, is in turmoil.