This weekend saw the Alcubierre International Chess Tournament, which has been attended by a world-class figure since its creation in 2007. This year, the Swedish player Pia Cramling, a member of an extraordinary family group in chess, took part, along with her husband, the Spaniard Juan Manuel Bellón, and her daughter, Anna.
This story has its history
My story with chess began with my brother. He is four years older than me. His name is Dan. When I was little, I thought chess was very boring.
But if you are totally passionate about chess…
So it wasn’t. For example, if the board we had at home had two sides, I would play the game on the other side of the board.
Incredible
We lived 15 kilometres from Stockholm. They created a club and my brother played there. One day I went to the club. It was the founder of the club who taught me how to move the pieces. It was something magical, like when you learn to read. When I was 10, I learned how to move the pieces. Soon I won a tournament. When I was 13, I went to play abroad.
This is how she met the international grandmaster Juan Manuel Bellón, whom she later married.
That’s right. In 1984 I went to Switzerland. Korchnoi was there. Juan came. We knew each other, but we hadn’t spoken. I was 21 years old. And he told me that when he played an open tournament, he always won the first round; but this time he was going to lose, because he was playing against Korchnoi. However, he beat him.
Talisman!
He has been a five-time Spanish champion, and I have been a two-time European champion. When I was 15, I represented Sweden at the Olympics in 1978. I won the silver medal.
In addition, you have played games in unusual places.
Are you referring to when I played in the hospital when I was pregnant?
For example.
I played two official games in a hospital in Menorca. I had problems with my pregnancy. We asked my opponents if they were okay with playing there. They said yes.
How did the games go?
I won one and drew the other.
This is how her daughter was born…
She also loves chess. More than a million people follow her on social media. She has been playing since she was three years old. She already did theatre with her father.
How do you get a massive following in a context as high-profile as chess?I understand that by offering attractive content.
You have also participated in events worthy of a movie…That was for having played in a prison in Almería…
I find it wonderful to play chess in prison…Yes, it was good. Have you also played chess in prison?
No, no. So far, no…Ha, ha, ha! We also played a wonderful game in a library in Salamanca. And this weekend, in an equally unique place, Alcubierre.
Admirable, the tournament they organize in Alcubierre.
I was really looking forward to coming here. It’s a tiny town with less than a thousand inhabitants, and the greatest figures in world chess have played there.
Here I see her with her family, with the mayor of Alcubierre and with prominent disseminators, such as Jesús Boyero and Leontxo García.
They brought me here. Leontxo travels constantly. He is a great educator. He explains all the good things that come with this beautiful game and sport, so closely linked to pedagogy, psychology, psychiatry, and computer science.
The Spanish made the queen the most powerful piece on the board. Leontxo taught me that too…The history of chess is beautiful, as is the game.
Is chess art or calculus?
For me, calculation; for Juan Manuel, art.
Do you learn more when you win or when you lose?It’s harder, but you learn more when you lose.
Who’s the best?
Among modern chess players, I love Magnus Carlsen. I know the history of Norwegian chess. There are many tournaments organised. Simen Agdestein was an international in football and chess.
Very interesting guy, Agdestein. Nice story…
One of his students was Magnus. He was fantastic at chess. He has a game like a tennis player: he always returns the ball, like Nadal. Agdestein has even changed the way he plays.
And what about history?
For me, too, Magnus.
Better than Kasparov, Karpov or Bobby Fischer?
Yeah.
And better than Capablanca?
Their opponents were not that strong. With computers, the level has risen a lot.
