ONE of the largest fields of chess players ever assembled in Guernsey locked horns yesterday as the 35th Intertrust Guernsey International Chess Festival got under way.

One hundred and twenty-one entrants from 17 nations will compete at the Peninsula Hotel throughout this week, all hoping for a share of the £4,220 prize fund.

This year’s Open Tournament features three giants of the game: Grandmasters Bojan Kurajica – representing Bosnia and Herzegovina – Oleg Korneev of Russia and the Swedish defending champion, Tiger Hillarp-Persson (pictured).

International Master Robert Bellin is taking his 24th crack at the title, which he has already won six times. Meanwhile, Dutchman Jan Havenaar and Germany’s Rudiger Von Saldern each return to Guernsey having missed only one festival out of the 35 held to date.

Round one of the Open Tournament went very much with the form book, with wins for all of the main pre-tournament favourites.