The town Monegrina De Alcubierre has become this weekend in the epicenter of Chess thanks to the celebration of his international tournament, which this 2025 has reached its 18th edition. Coinciding with the International Chess Day, this Sunday, July 20, the golden brooch will be put by one of the big names of the board: the world runner -up and pentacampeon of the United States, Gata Kamsky, which will offer at 6:00 p.m. the already traditional simultaneous games with local fans.
Kamsky, born in Siberia and Nationalized American, has been one of the star guests of this edition. This weekend has signed in the Locality Book of Honor, has participated in the opening and closing acts of the tournament, and has shared reflections with the attendees about chess as an educational, artistic and cultural tool. “Here everyone loves chess, and that love is a common factor that unites many people,” he said on Saturday.
The great teacher, who abandoned professional chess after being a world runner -up in 1996 to study law and triumphantly returned to the boards in 2005, has been accompanied by his wife, also the Russian chessist Vera Nebolsina, former girl prodigio.
Alfonso Llorente wins the tournament
The protagonist in sports has been the Zaragozano Alfonso Llorente, current champion of Aragon of Chess, who won the victory in the main weekend tournament on Saturday. “It is an absolute pleasure to have won for the first time in Alcubierre, a place that concentrates international figures and where chess has so much level,” he said after receiving the trophy from Gata Kamsky himself.
The tournament has gathered a hundred participants of all ages, from little Enzo Millán, champion of Spain Sub7, to veterans such as Francisco Castillo and Aurelio Chesa, both born in 1948. As is already tradition, the journalist and disseminator Leontxo García has worked as a master of ceremonies, reaffirming his close relationship with the event.
Moment of awards ceremony. Photo: Monegros region
Alcubierre, Capital of Chess
Llorente highlighted the merit of a town as small as Alcubierre for having managed to maintain and raise a tournament of this magnitude. “The beautiful thing is to see how the new promises of Aragonese chess are emerging, which are making it great in their categories. This, together with the presence of great teachers, raises the level a lot,” he said.
The International Chess Tournament of Alcubierre, organized by the City Council, funded by the Provincial Council of Huesca And with the support of the Aragonese Chess Federation, Ibercaja and the region of Los Monegros, it has established itself as one of the most unique events of the Spanish circuit. As Leontxo García recalled, he is the only one in the world that has managed to bring together five world champions in a town of just 400 inhabitants.
The mayor of Alcubierre, Pedro Suñén, thanked the involvement of participants, institutions and sponsors. The president of the region, Pedro Loscertales, valued the event as “an international reference that has put Alcubierre on the map thanks to chess.”
This Sunday, Kamsky’s simultaneous will put the end point at a weekend where chess has once again been the main protagonist in the heart of the Monegros.
