¡Montevideo, Uruguay!
Back in May, the US Chess Federation informed us that both Naomi and Ethan will be the US Official Representatives in their categories (Girls U14 and Open U18) at the Pan-American Youth Chess Championship in Montevideo, Uruguay, July 24-31, 2016. This means they are partly compensated for accommodation and travel. For cheapskates like us this was the last straw, now we had to go!
July 22 - Day 1
After the 24-hours-long three-legs flight (SEA-SFO-MIA-MVD), we crashed at the AirBnB unit rented for the first two nights before the chess tournament started. It's advertised as "a unique place in the depth of the Old Town". From there we raided the Old Town streets, attractions and restaurants.
Take a look at the photo album to appreciate that unique AirBnB rental, the beautiful Plaza Matriz, the opulent Plaza Independencia, the intimate Peatonal Sarandí, the tucked away Plaza Zabala, the gourmet Mercado del Puerto, and the grandiose Rambla Francia.
Plaza Matriz
At the Cervecería Matriz I made first contact with the delicious popular Uruguayan food chivito. It's a thin slice of filet mignon in a bun, with mozzarella, tomatoes, mayonnaise, olives, bacon, boiled eggs and ham. Popularly known as a "cholesterol bomb", it's tasted divine. Even more divine was my wife's order of lasagna, whose savory meaty creamy hot gentle taste stuck in our yearning memories forever.
July 23 - Day 2
After seeing the General Artigas Mausoleum, under the enormous horse-mounted General Artigas Monument on Plaza Independencia, we hopped onto the Bus Turistico for a guided tour of the city, and hopped off at a few stops. The City Hall Lookout provided thrilling vistas in all directions. The grandiose Legislative Palace was closed - for which we successfully compensated later on Day 5. The nearby Agricultural Market managed to be both abundant and hip. The Botanical and Japanese Gardens were very walkable, and the Rodó attraction park rides supplied our kids with ample excitement. We ended the day at the El Cuatro restaurant at the Port Market, by devouring inhuman amounts of meats.
July 24 - Day 3
Early in the morning I climbed onto the AirBnB unit's rooftop to capture on camera the Old Town views, and the view to the Cerro de Montevideo, the famous hill across the Bay of Montevideo.
At 11 AM we joined the Solis Theater guided tour for a glimpse of this famed 19 century entertainment venue. Later, fútbol replaced teatro as the leading form of popular entertainment, especially after Uruguay topped the World Cup in 1930.
A nice walk along Avenida 18 de Julio, with its plazas, monuments and the unspeakable SUBTE exposition (double entendre), brought us to the Art History Museum, an instant love affair for any cultured person. On the way back, at the Del Navio restaurant, milanesa and empanadas satisfied our earthly urges as well.
From the AirBnB unit in the Old Town, we've Uber-ed to the Sheraton Montevideo hotel at Punta Carretas, for the remaining week July 24-31. The day ended with the Pan-American Youth Chess Championship opening ceremony, an inevitably crowded and self-consciously serious affair.
July 25 - Day 4
We went to the US team meeting, otherwise staying indoors due to rain. I've discovered the gastronomic joys of the nearby Punta Carretas shopping mall. Chiviteria Mil Salsas, Churrascaria El Fogon, Blas Rincón Gourmet and other restaurants nourished the body way beyond what it needed ;-)
Round 1 started at 5 PM. Naomi won over Luiza De Oliveira Felix from Brazil, and Ethan drew with Juan Heinechen from Paraguay.
The calm before the storm
Here is the Pan-American Youth Chess Championship website, with live games and video stream:
And here are the tournament crosstables to follow:
Open Under 18: http://www.chess-results.com/tnr231741.aspx?art=4
Girls Under 14: http://www.chess-results.com/tnr231738.aspx?art=4
July 26 - Day 5
Round 2 started at 9:30 AM. Naomi defeated Alexandra-Fiore Estrada-Cantaro of Peru, and Ethan beat Dominguez Facundo of Uruguay.
During the game we habitually abandoned the chess venue, flagrantly free from any parental guilt, and Uber-ed to Palacio Legislativo for the 10:30 guided tour. What a delight! Apparently back in 1904 when the construction started, Uruguay (along with Argentina) used to be much higher up on the relative world-wide wealth scale. Palacio Legislativo is a true Italian-style architectural marvel, built with insane amounts of marble, allegorical statues, gilded rooms and epic paintings. It can easily compete with parliaments of countries 100 times more populous than 3-million-people Uruguay.
In Round 3 Naomi drew with Melanie Dongo of Peru, whereas Ethan has dramatically defeated FIDE Master Francisco-Javier Munoz of Argentina, by gaining a two pawns advantage and realizing it in the endgame. Since Ethan played on (electronic) Board 3, we watched the whole game broadcast live, all 78 moves! Here is the online screenshot of Ethan's triangulating moves which craftily denied his opponent the 3-repetitions draw. After erroneously claiming such draw and being rebuked by an arbiter, his opponent resigned two moves later:
Now both Ethan and Naomi have 2.5 points out of 3, and move to third and second position in their categories respectively. Ethan's next round opponent will be International Master Kevin-Joel Cori-Quispe of Peru, and Naomi's - Woman FIDE Master Luisa-Fernanda Diaz of Colombia. The game is on!
Palacio Legislativo - Hall of Lost Steps
July 27 - Day 6
Round 4 started at 10 AM, a new morning game starting time - to let local parents park their cars in the shopping mall when it opens. Naomi defeated Woman FIDE Master Luisa-Fernanda Diaz, and moved to the top position for now.
And Ethan drew with International Master Kevin-Joel Cori-Quispe of Peru! Thus, he already played with the two strongest participants. The rest should be easier, so 3 points out of 4 is a very good start!
There was no afternoon round, so instead we took a walk in the Punta Carretas neighborhood to the oceanfront, Juan Zorrilla de San Martin Museum, Punta Brava cape and its picturesque lighthouse. Frigid Antarctic winds were piercing our barely adequate clothing. In the Southern Hemisphere, "Winter is Coming".
Ready for action
July 28 - Day 7
In Round 6 Ethan lost to FIDE Master Brian-Sebas Escalante-Ramirez, and Naomi drew with Aleyla Hilario (thanks for having just one first and one last name!). By chance, all four of our kids' opponents were from Peru on that day.
In the morning we went for the free guided walking tour of the Old Town. The tour guide provided some fun facts and insights about Uruguay:
"We have 3.5 million people and 12 million cows, so if elections were fair, a cow would be the president. Instead, we eat beef for breakfast, lunch and dinner... Most of our early politicians were Freemasons. The British made us exile our independence hero General Artigas and he died in Paraguay. Ridden by guilt, we built this huge monument and mausoleum for his remains, at Plaza Independencia."
In the afternoon visited the Visual Arts Museum with some fascinating paintings.
Fishermen
July 29 - Day 8
In Round 7 Ethan lost to Dawton-Almino Lemos of Brazil, and Naomi lost to Woman FIDE Master Javiera-Belen Gomez-Barrera of Chile. ¡Caramba!
In the morning we strolled along Rambla Gandhi to Playa Pocitos, which is Montevideo puny answer to Copacabana. In the evening we Uber-ed across Montevideo Bay to Fortaleza del Cerro, for spectacular views of the city at sunset.
A good place for the cannon
July 30 - Day 9
In Round 8 Naomi beat Oriana Mora and Ethan lost to FIDE Master Santiago Zapata-Charles, both from Argentina.
Our touristic order of the day was the "number 1 attraction of Montevideo", the grandiose Rambla oceanfront boulevard. We walked 7 beautiful kilometers from the Sheraton to the Ibis and back.
Whatever health benefits resulted from this exercise, they have been enthusiastically wasted at dinner by indulging in a glorious Uruguayan steak cut of "bife de vacio". This has been my dinner routine for the entire stay, though sometimes the steak cut was a trademark "colita de cuadril" or a typical "asado de tira", but invariably medium-rare and with a jug of tinto red wine. You only live once...
Naomi and Ethan, almost done
July 31 - Day 10
In the final Round 9 Naomi defeated Romina Espinal-Reynoso of Mexico. Her total result 6 out of 9 was OK for her level. She just happened to get many top opponents, while being one year younger than others in her category.
Ethan drew with Valentin-Alejo Lagar of Argentina. With the total result 4.5 out of 9, his FIDE rating grew 90 points - not bad at all, given that initially we just hoped he'd be not in the bottom. Maybe this relative success will shake him up to resume playing chess after a two-year hiatus in college, and finally get to the National Master USCF rating of 2200.
During the game we rode to the Central Cemetery and marveled in awe at its stunning monuments. The theme of memento mori has positively soothed our parental nerves, ravished by the chess championship's constant tension.
The closing ceremony was nice, entertaining and, most importantly, short -- given it was entirely in Spanish. The US team did well, taking second place overall, with five gold medals, five silver and one bronze. Congrats to the team and its unfailing coaches: Friedman, Khodarkovsky, Ambartsoumian. Read the US Chess write-up. Special congratulations to Sophie Velea, the Girls Under 8 champion, who also won the North American Youth Chess Championship just one week later!
Photo Album July 31 - Day 10: Montevideo day 10: Round 9, Central Cemetery, City Center, Closing Ceremony
US team takes the stage
The 24-hours-long three-legs flight (MVD-MIA-SFO-SEA) brought us home the next day, August 1, both exhausted and full of impressions.
