This year the Glasgow Congress is once again delighted to have Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena as its principal sponsors.

The venues are quite spectacular.

This affords us the opportunity to put on display serious tournament chess to the 10,000 or so visitors who normally visit the venues on any given weekend. It is an opportunity to introduce chess to the non-playing public and get them involved, and participating, in the game that we know and love so much.

It is anticipated that there will be a higher than normal level of 'background noise' during this weekend due to the large numbers of people who will be spectators, but I believe that many players will find the prospect of playing before crowds of the 'uninitiated' an exhilarating and highly rewarding experience.