On Saturday 6 August the participants enjoyed the first rest day. The Grand Prix organizers in collaboration with municipality representatives offered a special entertaining program to the players. The majority of sportsmen took part in this event with great pleasure.
The program started at 11 a.m. - it was the time of the appointment near the hotel. The program included the excursion along the city, visiting the regional natural history museum and lunch with the officials of Rostov-on-Don.
There is a monument devoted to the Empress Elizabeth of Russia
five-minutes walk from the hotel. The officiall date of the
establishment of the city is 15 December 1749 when accorting to the
decree of the Russian Empress Temernitskaya Customs was founded here.
The participants gathered around the map of St. Dmitry Church where the
guide was speaking about the establishment of Rostov-on-Don. The
construction of this church named after St. Dmitry started in 1761. The
settlement formed out of serfdom outskirts was converted into a city and
the official name of Rostov-on-Don was attached to it in the year of
1806.
The "Plumbery monument" was renamed into a "Woman with a bucket" by
rostovites. Rostov-on-Don was one of the first Russian cities where
water pipe system was introduced and already in the year of 1865 5
kilometers of pipe lines were laid that was a real revolution for
housewives that had to bring water from the ponds in the close and far
proximity to their homes.
One of the exhibits attracted the attention of Ruan Lufei, Igor Bolotinsky and Tanya Kosintseva.
Humpy and Ahok Koneru and other participants are examining the exhibits
of the regional natural history museum. The museum is acquainting with
the nature, culture and history of Rostov Region.
Famous chess players are watching the games of local chess amateurs in Gorky park with great pleasure.
Common photo with chess amateurs. Other tournament participants could not stop watching their favorite games.
During lunch that was offered by hospitable organizers of the tournanent the table was full of delicious cates.
All the participants and their accompanying persons were presented souvenirs from the organizers.
Hand made souvenir plates.
The 1st rest day was over and the Chief Arbiter Igor Bolotinsky came to the finish first.
