Pent-Up OTB Demand

AS England slowly emerges from Lockdown 3, along with the rest of the UK, the big question for chess lovers is how popular over-the-board events will prove.

I expect the first congresses, which presumably will not occur before June, could be over-subscribed.

They should be particularly popular with juniors, double-vaccinated seniors and anyone who is simply desperate to get playing again and does not mind risking consequences.

Other people, however, reckon the return to OTB chess will be much slower, with would-be players holding back to see how the pandemic is progressing.

In Europe, much of which is experiencing a third wave, lockdown measures are increasing rather than reducing.

But this is a relatively recent happening, and not so long ago European chess players were hoping to get back into OTB action within a few weeks.

One such tournament is Bamberg in Bavaria.

I played there three years ago when the local chess club marked 150 years since its founding.

The congress was repeated in 2019, was postponed last year, and was due to be held this year from May 12-15.

Looking at the congress website today, I see it has already reached its limit of 240 entries, with a further 32 names on a waiting list: https://bamberg-open.de/#

The way things are going in Germany it may well be Bamberg will have to be cancelled again, but the fact that until recently, at least, so many people were keen to play is surely a good sign, and a hint of what may occur in the UK in the summer.