10 year old Stpehen Whatley chuffed at being able to play with one of the Masters of the game, former World Champion Boris Spassky.

Gibraltar's local players may only be a handful but they are playing across the board at the 2010 Gibtelecom Chess Festival with participation in the Amateurs, Challengers and even the Masters.

Alan Gravett

10 year old Stephen Whatley, our most promising local player gained a few points in the opening rounds, this week and gathered strength to participate in the next level in the Challengers tournament, and even the Masters. Putting his name to the list he was paired in the Masters with another local player Manolo Matto, who has been playing annually since the tournament began. And although Matto won, Stephen put him under much pressure into the last stages of the game.

But the biggest thrill of the week for Stephen Whatley came on Friday evening when he spent an hour learning from one of the greats of chess, former World Champion Boris Spassky who earlier in the day had surprised the chess world by joining commentator Stuart Conquest in the broadcasting suite.

Spassky sitting at the lounge of the Caleta Hotel enjoyed some chessspeak with the young chess player and he came away with a few more moves under his belt.

"I got a free lesson from one of the greats, former world champion Boris Spassky," said a chuffed Stephen still excited by this special moment which he will treasure forever.

For hours on end whether in competition in the main hall, or in the lobby of the hotel, our local players join in the spirit of the tournament. They play with players from all over the world, they analyse the games, and they show improvement with each passing year.

The first week of competition in the Amateurs and Challengers proved positive for our local players.

Luis Manetto came second in the Amateurs, and both Freddy Poggio (Amateurs) and Alan Gravett (Challengers)received the award for best Gibraltar Player, in their respective tournaments.

Our number one player is Alan Gravett who has supported the event from the outset. He is participating in the Challengers. Other local club players are Mario Garcia and Tom Bath, who are playing in the Amateurs.

Alan Gravett says participating was initially a novelty for him but that the excitement of mixing with the very top players, see them in action and to be able to play and meet with them, keeps pulling him back.

Luis Manetto comes second in the Amateurs

"The challengers itself becomes stronger year by year. The Masters too is stronger. It is one of the strongest tournaments in the world," he says, and although one year he may take up the challenge of the Masters, he prefers to play in the Challengers.

"I have more fun playing in the Challengers. The masters is very strong, it is a technical game and it would not be such fun."

He admits he is not as well prepared for the games as he would like to be, and that serious players take two and more hours to prepare. Chess he tells me is an interesting game which he has been playing for some 50 years and will continue to play.

"The local players who have very little if any outlet have serious problems in improving their chess and enjoying the game across the board but it is a thrilling opportunity to play against people from different parts of the world and see how other people play," he adds.

Freddy Poggio has been participating for a number of years is pleased with his performance this year and has won several games in the Amateurs. He describes the 10 days as a tense entertaining tournament for which he has been preparing for some time strategically working on different openings.

Brian Callaghan, organiser, and Freddy Poggio (Gibraltar player in the Amateurs) playing yet another game of chess.

He tells me of the young (12) Norwegian girl he played against in the opening rounds, and who eventually he lost to. She had opened with a move he recognised and had studied but a surprise move on her part meant she took the board.

"It is interesting because this young girl is part of a large group of Norwegians, over 28 of them, who have chess as part of their school curriculum, and they are taught by GMs, they have a high standard. You can play with anyone of any age, from any country, and that is always a challenge."

Freddy points out that the whole week is challenging - not just playing chess but meeting new people, seeing former world champions like Spassky sitting next to you, and even joining in a game, analysing the games etc.

"Every year we really look forward to this tournament not only because we meet old faces, chat and play games, there is a fantastic atmosphere, master classes, and so much more, which makes it a great week."

Freddy encourages all those players who stay at home to join the local chess club.

"Chess players feel that our standard is extremely high and that it rules them out but they should come and join us, and try it out."

Stephen and Manolo in the Masters

Mario Garcia, told me he was not having such a good run, but he thoroughly enjoys playing the game. Of course Mario has been at the forefront of children's chess, and coaches in a number of schools on a regular basis. This is definitely where the game shows promise locally, and where in a few years time there could be some more development in the tournament.

Stephen Whatley has been getting up each morning at 6.30am since the start of the tournament in order to study his opponent and work out his strategy. You would have thought that such intensity would somehow throw this young man out of keel but he thrives on it, and no game is too long. His longest game of the tournament so far was over four hours long.

Local players with Stuart Conquest

"I enjoy it - and I am here mainly for the experience. I just enjoy playing chess so it is fun for me. Most of the players here are extremely strong players, and if I play them it helps me get stronger. You can be five years old and you can be the best chess player," he says.

He admits he gets upset if he loses two or three games in a row, but he just has to push that aside and move onto the next game.

Minister Reyes with Mario Garcia and Alan Gravett

"I want to be a GM and my biggest ambition is to become a world champion," he tells me seriously.

Well who knows, he may even get his points to be a IM or GM, here in Gibraltar!