The 18th Univé Chess Tournament is rapidly approaching. The opening day of the tournament is already on Saturday, 11th October. On this day, every inhabitant of Hoogeveen can try his luck on the chessboard during two simultaneous displays. In the morning hours the traditional youth simul will be held at McDonald’s, and from 13.00h onwards Hans Böhm gives a simul on the Kerkplein, where new players can join every time a game is ended.
Böhm will play continuously against ten players for approximately three hours. The Dutch chess icon will start at 13.00h against ten players who have applied beforehand. As soon as a game is finished, someone from the audience may take the place of the first player. It is not necessary to have an extensive knowledge of chess. ‘I play simuls to promote chess as a sport’, says Böhm. ‘That means that I don’t try to beat my opponents as quickly as possible. It has to be fun for everybody. If someone is about to make a big mistake I will warn him, and sometimes I also have to explain the rules of the game. Which I always do with pleasure.’ Although fun is important, and Böhm always concedes a few draws, he does not like to lose. Böhm cannot recall the last time he lost a game during a simul. ‘I’ve probably repressed that. In the past months I’ve played at least six hundred simultaneous games, and haven’t lost one. It’s always a tense struggle. Because you want to give every player a chance, you don’t make the very best moves at the start. Then, if I realize that I’m facing a good player, I complicate the position and aim for an attack. In order to increase the pressure on that player, I will make my moves on the other boards more quickly, so that this strong player has less time to think. That way I run the risk that I will have trouble on another board. And so, such a simul is always a big struggle between me and the participants.’
Before it’s Böhm turn on the Kerkplein, Dutch Junior Champion Nick Maatman gives a simul for youth players at McDonald’s. Children between 10 and 12 years old can play against Maatman. Apart from a special surprise from McDonald’s for all the participants, the best youth player will get an invitation to collect a nice prize during the closing ceremony of the chess tournament.
You can apply for either of these simultaneous displays via secretariaat@hoogeveenchess.nl. Please mention your name, age, telephone number, and which simul you want to participate in.
