#16 Jeroen van den Berg (TD TATA Steel Chess)
In this episode, Eric talks to his compratiot, the tournament director of the TATA Steel Chess Tournament, 58-year old Dutchman Jeroen van den Berg. Jeroen has not missed a single day in Wijk aan Zee since 1984, which was the first time Jeroen played a role in the tournament as a board boy and member of the press team. In 1999, the Dutchman became the tournament director of the tournament in WIjk aan Zee, and followed in the steps of the legendary Piet Zwart, who had been the TD for 45 years. 1999 was the year in which one of the most legendary games ever was played, the game Kasparov-Topalov, which is called "The Pearl of Wijk aan Zee". Jeroen tells us about this legendary game and Kasparov and has many more stories to tell. My guest also tells us something about the COVID - safe edition of 2021, which is challenging for him and his team. Jeroen tells us about the authorities that are involved in the process. The tournament director also reveals some information about the online activities that are planned for the amateur players, who cannot come to Wijk aan Zee to play one of the famous "vierkampen" or "tienkampen". It is an lovely interview with the organizer of the "Wimbledon of Chess", Jeroen van den Berg.