FIDE WGP - Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Ricardo Visit - 26 May 2021

“Welcome, ladies - the gentlemen here are superfluous, just literally to take your picture!

Welcome to Gibraltar.

The last time I was in this room for chess there were literally hundreds of players facing each other for the open which Brian [Callaghan] organises in January. So I can see that you are a very select group of players and that there are less of you because, obviously, the value of what you bring far eclipses the people who fill this room when we have the open. So you are very welcome to Gibraltar: I think this is a very impressive layout, and for Gibraltar it is an honour to have you here, and we are very proud of the fact that this is one of the important festivals in the Women’s Grand Prix.

And I hope one day to see a Gibraltar flag on one of these tables with a Gibraltarian lady playing alongside you and at your level. Now I know that you are all much better than me, so I have to ask Alina [Kashlinskaya] to forgive me my first move - no doubt she will be permitted to undo it.

Thank you very much.”

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabian_Picardo