Transfer over, record-breaking prodigies like GM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, IM Faustino Oro, and WFM Bodhana Sivanandan. Manuel Alvarez Escudero from Spain is 102 years outdated and celebrates eight (!) a long time as a event participant. He reveals no indicators of slowing down.
In 2021, Chess.com’s Ray Linville spotlighted the extraordinary Manuel Alvarez Escudero when he turned 100 and was nonetheless competing. Now, simply two weeks shy of his 103rd birthday, the Spaniard remains to be competing—and successful.
Alvarez is at present collaborating within the Moratalaz Open, a event in Madrid with 135 gamers starting from worldwide masters to newcomers. After 5 rounds, the 1746-rated 102-year-old has carried out effectively by scoring 2.5 factors, having gained two video games and drawing one, placing him on observe to realize score factors.
Final 12 months, Alvarez scored 4.5 out of 9 and gained a prize, enhancing his rating from the earlier 12 months. In an interview with Federico Marin for the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, he shared his secret to longevity: “Don’t drink, don’t smoke, train, and of the opposite issues, do as a lot as you’ll be able to.”
My secret? Do not drink, do not smoke, train, and of the opposite issues, do as a lot as you’ll be able to.
—Manuel Alvarez Escudero, 102 years outdated
The soon-to-be 103-year-old humorously famous that “age is beginning to present” and lamented the affect of the pandemic. “The pandemic took 10 years off me. Once I received out, I used to be fully atrophied. I couldn’t do something. Now at the very least I get respect for myself.”
Chess is not the one factor that retains his thoughts sharp. Alvarez, who as soon as met the fourth world champion Alexander Alekhine within the Nineteen Forties, stays energetic by combining chess with train. In keeping with El Mundo, the centenarian just lately performed a simul towards 5 youngsters at an area institute close to his house. He proudly rejected strolling assist, and walked from board to board with out assist. “The youngsters couldn’t imagine his show,” Marin famous in El Mundo.
Alvarez realized the principles of the sport from an older brother. His event profession began in his 20s. In keeping with FIDE’s score database that solely goes again to 2006, his peak after turning 80 was 2180. He fondly remembers defeating Cuban GM Jesus Nogueiras, a World Championship Candidate in 1985, in a simul. In one other simul in 1985, he beat the legendary GM Valery Salov, third on the earth behind GMs Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov within the 80s, in accordance with El Mundo.
For Alvarez, chess has at all times been extra about ardour and camaraderie than accolades. “The principle goal at all times has been to have enjoyable and make mates,” he has beforehand stated when requested about his targets within the sport.
Yet one more reminder that chess is for everybody, and that age isn’t any barrier on the subject of taking part in.
