Hotel Berlin Budapest new home for First Saturday series The Hotel Berlin Budapest has debuted nicely as a new home for the First Saturday tournament series. The hotel is located a little off the heavy and noisy traffic of the city at a silent area with quickly developing infrastructure. For the time being the restaurant rooms served as a playing area but a very large meeting hall will be inaugurated soon that may house tournaments even with 300 participants.

The GM section brought tough fight for norms and Kantor Gergely (HUN) and Valdes Romero L (Costa Rica) both were close to achieving the magic 7 points.
Chekletsov Ilya of Khanty Mansiysk (RUS), who was accompanied by his whole family to Budapest, performed his first IM norm. He got much inspiration for chess after the 39th Chess Olympiad in 2010 was organized in his home town.
The winner, Nguyen Huynh Minh Huy (VIE) decided some years ago to reside in Hungary permanently since he said “it is a country of chess”. Since then he achieved GM title in 2014 and his international success continues.

IGM NGUYEN, Huynh Minh Huy (VIE)

First Saturday GM 1-11th October 2016 Budapest Final Ranking

Players of six countries competed in the IM section all of them putting up different styles. It is worth watching the interesting games that can be downloaded from the tournament website. Former U8 European Champion (Albena 2011) Krstulovic Alex (HUN) was leading all the way but took to much risk in the last round only a step away from his first IM norm. The winner, Maximovic Branimir a senior IM from Serbia is world famous for his uncompromising fighting spirit finished with six victories losing three, no draws.

IM MAKSIMOVIC, Branimir (SRB)


FM KRSTULOVIC, Alex (HUN) – almost IM-norm…

Vanhove Koen (BEL) arrived to Budapest to combine holidays with chess. After collecting over one hundred FIDE rating points his hunger for chess has definitely increased so he is planning to return to Budapest with even more focus on chess.

First Saturday IM 1-11th October 2016 Budapest Final Ranking

The lowest rated group is usually a clash of the youngest and senior players. It is rather odd that this time the elderly generation dominated. The winner Steer Jozsef (HUN) recently returned to competitive chess after decades but his pieces cooperated as precisely as a well designed machinery. He had been working as a movie machinery technician in civilian life.

However, we could observe spectacular progress of the youngest. Koltai Dora (12, HUN) won 107 FIDE-rating points last month and she can put on 79 points this time. Chekletsova Darya (13, RUS) was also successful against the experienced seniors.

First Saturday Development Group 1-11th October 2016 Budapest Final Ranking

STEER, József (HUN)

Tournament hall, hotel BERLIN, 2016 October


Group photo 2016 October

The FIDE Rated one day rapid event also continues giving opportunities for amateurs playing against title holders who are having training before the standard events. The winner, Kantor Gergely (HUN) has shown up a great progress also in this category.

Hotel Berlin in Budapest Rapid Open 30th September 2016

The forthcoming First Saturday events are scheduled at: 5-16th November, while the Hotel Berlin Rapid Open takes place on 4th Nov. (Friday) More info of all groups with all the games, photos and archive can be found at: www.firstsaturday.hu

Venue of the First Saturday events:
Hotel Berlin
Address: 1117 Budapest, Hunyadi János út 2.
Easily accessible from the center by the 133E public bus ride.

Contact: Nagy Laszlo IO E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Photos by: Somogyi Kristof
Written by: IM Orso Miklos