The 2023 Orjan Lindroth Memorial Chess Tournament is set to make history as the first FIDE (International Chess Federation) Title Norm chess tournament to be held in The Bahamas. The six-day tournament will take place at SuperClubs Breezes Resort & Spa, in Nassau, The Bahamas, from May 29 to June 3.
The 2023 Orjan Lindroth Memorial Chess Tournament has attracted a total of 70 chess players. The number represents a mixture of young and old, beginners and professional chess players. A total of 33 persons will participate in the U1700 section and 37 individuals will play in the Open Section. The players competing in the 2023 Orjan Lindroth Memorial Tournament represent 13 countries. This FIDE rated, Norm tournament will be held in a nine-round Swiss format, game in 90 minutes plus 30-second increments per player.
The prize fund for the tournament is $16,500. This exciting tournament will feature 11 Grandmasters and five International Masters vying for first place. These high-level players represent Cuba, Macedonia, Norway, Paraguay, Serbia and Spain.
Norwegian Grandmaster (GM) Johan-Sebastian Christiansen, winner of the 2022 Orjan Lindroth Memorial Chess Tournament, is excited to return to The Bahamas.
"Last year, I came to The Bahamas for the first time in my life. I spoke for a long time to the tournament organizer, Cecil Moncur, and he approached me with kindness and generosity," said GM Christiansen. "Both FM (FIDE Master) Moncur and the other people in charge of the tournament gave me a very warm welcome and treated me extraordinarily well. The tournament was also well-executed and extremely professional. I was positively surprised by how well it was organized, as it was their first big international event. Therefore, there was no tough decision to make, whether I would return this year or not. The Bahamas has come to be one of my favorite places to be. I can't wait to arrive back."
Janelle Albury, first vice president of the Bahamas Chess Federation (BCF), said: "The Bahamas Chess Federation welcomes participants for the 2023 Orjan Lindroth Memorial Chess Tournament to The Bahamas. Hosting this tournament, which has attracted some of the best chess professionals in the world, is a momentous occasion not only for the federation but for The Bahamas. It is also important as this is a chance for young Bahamian chess players to get an opportunity to participate in a world-class tournament and to interact with some of the best chess players in the world. The sport of chess improves critical thinking, develops perseverance and offers a myriad of educational benefits and travel opportunities. This tournament will contribute to the growth of the sport in The Bahamas. We would like to thank our generous event sponsors. Again, welcome and good luck to all of the participants."
Sponsors for the 2023 Orjan Lindroth Memorial Chess Tournament are Amanda Lindroth, Scotiabank, SuperClubs Breezes Resort & Spa, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Stonehill and the Bahamas Chess Federation. The 2023 Orjan Lindroth Memorial Chess Tournament will be streamed live on Chess242 YouTube channel and Twitch.
The opening ceremony/press conference for the 2023 Orjan Lindroth Memorial Chess Tournament is scheduled for Sunday, May 28 at SuperClubs Breezes, starting at 1 p.m.
Andre White will serve as chief arbiter for the event. Elton Joseph will serve as deputy chief arbiter and Angel Pride as arbiter. White is the only Bahamian FIDE licensed international arbiter. He served as chess arbiter at the 41st Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway, in 2014; the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Youth Festival in Trinidad & Tobago in 2015; and the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India, in 2022.
The tournament is named in honor of the late Orjan Lindroth, who was a generous supporter of chess in The Bahamas. His unwavering contributions gave many young Bahamians an opportunity to be introduced to the impactful, royal sport of chess. It was always the vision for Lindroth to have a tournament like this in The Bahamas.
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