Txelu Fernández, therapeutic money

Of the three medals achieved by Spanish chess players in 24 hours, that of Txelu Fernández is the most significant and meritorious.

The 68-year-old from Biscay, a resident of Tenerife since 1982, culminates a life dedicated to chess as runner-up in the world over 65s in Assisi (Italy) five months after losing one of his two children.

His biography is an example of the tenacity to turn a passion into a profession.

Half a century ago, Txelu's father, a pediatrician, saw the light on until the wee hours of the morning in Txelu's room in the family home in Portugalete (Vizcaya).

That satisfied him because he took it for granted that his son was working hard in her medical studies to succeed him in his private practice.

The reality was very different: that university student had been inoculated relatively late by the chess poison (in 1972, like millions of people around the world, due to the enormous attraction of the Spassky-Fischer duel for the world title) and devoured technical books, sometimes until dawn.

“I felt great pleasure when I studied chess books, and nothing similar happened to me with medicine books.

So I decided to be consistent, even if it meant displeasure for my parents, and I told them I was leaving, committing myself to live with my own resources, because we were seven siblings, and I didn't want to take anything away from them”, recalls the second of the seven Fernandez.

"But in addition to tenacity," he adds, "it's fair to stress that I was also lucky."

Those who have known him since then point out that this fate was sought and fought for.

First in Catalonia, playing as many tournaments as he could and training many hours at the historic Unión Graciense (UGA) club, where he was a teammate of the legendary Arturo Pomar.

It is undoubtedly true that he was lucky in the draw for military service because he got Alicante, which allowed him to sign for the Peret Cafeteria club, whose owner, Pepe Molina, served breakfast every morning to the military governor.

This made it possible for Fernández to become a military police officer, with free afternoons to train and abundant permits to play in the Spanish Championships.

Of all the events in life, the most influential was falling in love with a chess player, Marta Mendoza, with whom he went to live in Tenerife in 1985. In addition to two children and three grandchildren, that move resulted in a job coaching the sub 18 and director-president of the Caja Canarias Chess Club that has lasted 35 years, first in its Social Work and then in the Foundation.

To these horse jumps in terms of place of residence must be added many bishop diagonals to play innumerable tournaments around the world, which are reflected in a brilliant track record.

Twice absolute champion of Spain, in 1989 and 2001 (shared with Miguel Illescas), quadruple runner-up (1977, 1978, 1985 and 1995), six Olympics with the Spanish team (he successfully defended the first board in Dubai, 1986) and numerous victories or brilliant performances in international tournaments.

Txelu Fernández, during the game of the last round, which he beat the Danish Kristiansen, yesterday at the Veterans World Cup in Assisi (Italy)Gerhard Bertagnolli

Of the latter, he has very intense memories of his triumph on Radio Rebelde in Havana (1985): "Because I won the first six games, because of the magnificent atmosphere of chess in Cuba and because that success was decisive in obtaining the title of great teacher".

Also of his first prize shared with the former world champion Vasili Smyslov in the tribute tournament to Miguel Najdorf in Buenos Aires (1990): "Najdorf was a unique, unforgettable character, and tying for first place with a chess glory like Smyslov was A great honor".

But the tournament that had the greatest impact on him was the one in Yurmala (Latvia, then the Soviet Union), in 1983. For various reasons: “I understood the enormous importance of chess in the USSR when I was received on foot by plane with a bouquet of flowers and a official black car

Perhaps that inspired me to play very well and finish 4th in a very strong tournament, ahead of former world champion Mikhail Tal, another sacred legend with whom I was able to live”.

And a curiosity: "In that tournament, Alexéi Shirov, later runner-up in the world and a Spanish citizen, was one of the boys who managed the wall boards so that the public could follow the games live."

Do you have any thorns in you from your years in high competition?

“I should have trained more to know exactly what my ceiling was, how far I could have gone.

But I don't mortify myself about that either, because when the priority is to earn money to support yourself, you can't just focus on your training”.

When asked about everything that chess has taught him, Txelu highlights in the first place: "To live with defeat".

Perhaps there is the key to the enormous integrity that he showed from the first moment after the death of his son Borja, last June.

And also that the defeat on Thursday, in the penultimate round of the Veterans World Cup, against the British John Nunn (later champion) did not affect the quality of his game in the last two days: "Instead of always looking for the best movement and the Brilliant game, I gave priority to making good plays without spending many minutes, because time trouble makes me suffer a lot.

And it worked very well."

Contrary to the World Rapid Championship of Nations in Jerusalem, where Spain won the bronze and Miguel Santos the individual silver, in Assisi there were almost all the best in the world (Russians can play with the flag of the International Federation) over 65 years of age in good health , which highlights the method of Fernández, whose next important decision, in a few months, will be to retire or continue working.

But, in both cases, other values ​​that he has also learned from chess will continue to be equally valid: “Seek my personal improvement in the study.

Meeting many people from many different countries and regions has been very important to me.

And I will always fight to improve myself, whatever happens."

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