Some of the world?s most promising and youngest Grand Masters in the chess world will be making their moves to our shores at the end of the month in the 2005 Bermuda International Invitational Tournament.

Brazilian Grand Master Giovanni Vescovi, 26 walked away with the winner?s trophy for a second year in a row during last years? tournament when he beat one of the oldest players at the tournament 37-year-old Israeli Grand Master, Boris Gelfand.

Mr. Gelfand, who has a long and deserving reputation as a profound but peaceable player prone to a high percentage of short draws, is sure to use this opportunity to claim the prestigious title for himself and show the younger players that he has staying power.

But he?ll have to watch his back this year as he?ll be coming up against Olympian Grand Master Lenier Dominguez, 21 from Brazil as well as another young man making a name for himself, Pentala Harikrishna, 18, from India, a Junior World Champion.

Other names to watch out for are Polish Grand Master, Bartlomiej Macieja, 21 and Andrei Volokitin, 18 from the Ukraine. The average rating of players in this years? tournament is 2643.33.

Thanks to players like Mr. Vescovi and Mr. Gelfand, the tournament has become one of the strongest events in the Western hemisphere and is sure to once again draw a large crowd.

The tournament will be held at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel from January 30 to February 9 and will be followed by the Bermuda Open from February 11 to 13 when the top players compete for up to $5,000 in prizes.