International chess will return to Gibraltar in an exciting new format in January 2022, with 10 top-rated players facing a 10-man team of equally scoring classic chess in the “#GibChess Battle of the Sexes” match tournament.

With a cash prize of £ 100,000, the game will start on January 24, with the final round and the prize-giving dinner taking place on February 3.

And with Hotel Caleta, the traditional venue for international chess on the Rock, closing in December ahead of the site’s redevelopment, the tournament will be played in the elegant setting of the Garrison Library’s Upper Reading Room.

But the event, which will attract worldwide attention, will also seek to showcase other Gibraltar heritage sites.

The awards dinner will take place at Town Hall, courtesy of the Mayor of Gibraltar, His Worship Christian Santos, while Gorham Cave, a World Heritage Site, will be part of the program.

Tourism Minister Vijay Daryanani will host a dinner at the Rock Hotel on January 29 for participants and guests.

“With ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ still fresh on everyone’s minds, this classic battle of the sexes is sure to be a big hit,” organizers The Caleta Hotel said in a statement.

“Men’s-to-women’s match tournaments have taken place in the past, including the 1990s Veterans-to-Women dance-themed match tournament series, but organizers believe this is the first time that teams of male players have and female are selected to match. narrowly in terms of average grade and age.

“Over ten rounds and 100 matches, this match tournament will bring socio-scientific evidence to the debate on whether men or women of similar odds are likely to outperform the opposite sex, or whether the scoring system does it correctly. . “

“The fun ‘Battle of the Sexes’ game played on a giant chess board has been an innovative and popular part of Gibraltar’s chess festivals for many years, but now it’s got serious.”

Joe Bossano, Minister of Economic Development, welcomed the announcement and said: “Chess is more than a sport, it is a challenge for the human intellect.”

Swedish grandmaster Pia Cramling is the female captain.

Pia, two-time European champion and emblematic figure of the chess world, looks forward to an exciting competition.

She has participated in all Gibraltar Masters tournaments since the series began in 2003.

Her husband, Juan Manuel Bellon, also a grandmaster, is a former champion of Spain, and their daughter Anna is an accomplished player and streamer of chess.

Male captain Sabino Brunello will only be on his second visit to the Rock. The Italian grandmaster competed in the Gibraltar Masters in 2012, exactly ten years ago.

The games will be streamed online piecemeal, and a daily show will be broadcast from the library itself, with expert commentary on the latest piece, all of which can be viewed at www.gibchess.com

The event will take place in accordance with public health advice. Due to its size limitations, access can only be reserved for accredited visitors.

Accreditation can be obtained on request at [email protected]