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The game room of the Palacio de Santoña (Calle Huertas, 13) is a sanctuary of silence.

The accredited press moves with caution, avoiding stepping on any dry branch of the carpet that scares away the best chess players in the world.

Photographers must wear black.

They levitate around the chess players who have been competing since June 16 for the chance to play the final against Kalsen.

Unlike the heads of state summoned to the NATO summit, the eight speedsters of the brain move through the city discreetly, they are camouflaged among the crowd, they ascetically live the hours they do not spend trying to decipher miniature wars.

At the gate of the Palace, the fans quietly await the arrival of the players.

Enthusiasm is gesticulated as a taxi pulls up

.

Inside, unfortunately, there are two tourists.

Some lower their video cameras.

"The players usually arrive on foot," explains David Llada, in charge of communication for the International Chess Federation (Fide).

"For the chess player, walking towards the game is part of the process that requires going into the competitive mode"

.

They walk the 850 meters that separate The Principal Madrid Hotel, a five-star hotel located on Gran Vía, from the Palacio de Santoña.

The organization must avoid contact with the public and "counter-espionage" devices are used that control " electronic

dopping

".

A radio frequency detector or temperature gauges are used to monitor the Games Room computers or the possible presence of earpieces or some "hidden" radio.

Five star hotel

Seven players are housed in The Principal.

They have a wellness

center

and a terrace from which the architectural symbols of the city can be seen.

From the hotel they prefer not to describe the chess players.

The 18-year-old French nationalized Iranian,

Alireza Firouzja

, decided to go to the Four Seasons Hotel, the organization's first choice.

The main patron of the candidates' tournament is

Mark Scheinberg

, one of the shareholders of the Canalejas complex.

Scheingerb, founder of PokerStars, bought his stake from OHL Desarrollos and Grupo Villar Mir for 225 million euros.

"Unfortunately, there was no availability at the Four Seasons, among other things, because of the NATO summit."

During their days in Madrid, the players lead a "spartan and austere" life.

The path of the world number 2, the Chinese Ding

Liren

, to the competition was bumpy.

Due to covid, he was unable to play any qualifying events.

He entered "by

rating

" to replace Serguei

Kariaki

, the Russian player sanctioned for declaring himself in favor of the invasion of Ukraine.

As with the rest of the players, the organization has had access to Ding Liren's requests.

"He has come alone. No one is with him. He was very happy to learn of the existence of the Retreat. He asked for a rice cooker in which he boils his rice in the room. He does not dare to go out alone."

On the rest day last Friday, Ding agreed to have dinner at Sabor Sichuan, the Asian restaurant on Ventura Rodríguez Street.

It might help him get out of the eight-tie loop he'd gotten stuck in.

He won his first game on Monday.

"Others have asked us for a room with a bathtub, to take a bath and relax after the game.

It is a way of preventing back pain, the Achilles heel of chess players. It is a sport of contained tension"

, says Llada.

"Some prefer a larger room to install a massage table. They have hired a masseur."

Or go to the pool.

Fruit, tea or chocolate

The games start at 3:00 p.m. and can go on until late at night.

"We asked to extend the dinner hours at the hotel. They usually have dinner between eleven and eleven-thirty at night."

They can stay up all night preparing for the next day's game.

"Although usually their coaches take care of it. They sleep well and get up at noon."

They do not spend the entire game sitting in front of the opponent.

"They go to the break room. They go to the other tables to study the other rivals.

They consume sugar during the games. Fruit, chocolate or tea."

The Palace of Santoña has become too small.

"1,200 tickets sold in just over an hour"

.

Spectators follow the game from a room other than the game room.

The organization had to set up a fan zone

in the Argo club in Plaza de Santa Ana

.

"Those who did not get tickets follow the championship from the bar while socializing and having a drink.

Streamers

, influencers and teachers come.

We had never done it before

."

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