La Rioja - A Conquest of Haro

A Conquest of Spain by Vernon Grant

The first time I had lunch with Stuart Conquest I knew instantly that he played chess. It took him half an hour to pass me the olive oil!

Seriously, if anyone knows how to make the right move it is Stuart.

Aged 9 he represented England in the European Chess Championships.

In 1981 he won the world under 16 championships Argentina.

By the year 2001 he was one of the top 100 players in the world.

So here is a man who clearly knows his rook from his bishop. What then is an International Chess Grandmaster doing living in Spain?

"Eight years ago I boarded the ferry to Bilbao. I was going to compete in a tournament in Andorra. On board I met a lovely Spanish girl who came from Haro. I wouldn’t miss a Chess tournament for a woman so when it was over I visited her there and I have hardly left the town since. Today Haro is home.

"I’m still on good terms with that girl but have made many other friends here. "The population is just 8000 and everyone seems to know each other. The Spanish lifestyle suits my relaxed nature and Chess is respected here as a serious sport. I never felt that was the case in the UK."

Stuart was born in Ilford, Essex but became well known as a child chess prodigy when still at school in the coastal town of Hastings.

Spain is a country he has known since he was in his twenties and which he now travels across when competing in Chess tournaments.

"Chess is a great incentive for me to see more of Spain. Since I have lived here I have been seen much of the country and just love the place. I particularly like Cordoba. There are also some less well known areas that are attractive, such as Valladolid. It is so cheap to live on the road here with smart hostals in towns and Cities costing as little as 20 Euros a night. I love driving around Spain. I know the country better than I know the UK. Believe me a three hour drive is nothing in this vast landscape.

"I might be 30 minutes from somewhere like Ronda, or be just down the road from a famous Spanish landmark. If so, I will stay an extra night or two in the region and enjoy it. I don’t have to be back in an office on Monday morning.

"However, nowhere I have seen is better than La Rioja. Here you have fresh air. We enjoy all the seasons so you get sun, rain and cold. Last winter was severe and the summer very hot. The countryside around me is marvellous. There are lovely walks where you can stroll for miles and not see another soul. We also have the beautiful Basque region just over the border.

"The housing in Haro, and the La Rioja province in general, is more affordable than in many areas of the country. Many people who work in Bilbao live in Haro for that reason.

"I had never owned a home in the UK but when I found the apartment where I now live I was prepared to offer the lady who owned it more than the asking price. As it turned she offered it to me for less. I paid just 37.000 Euros for the place last March. I believe it must be the bargain Spanish property buy of 2005. I know was very lucky. For that money you can usually only buy a ruin in Spain.

"My home has 2 bedrooms, one large living room, kitchen, bathroom, loft space, a balcony that looks on to a patio area and ample storage space for my vast book and record collection.

"It was built in 1901 and is centrally located in the town. The bars here are in an area known as the horseshoe and they are within a two minute walking distance of my front door."

Stuart surrounds himself with memories of Britain and the cultural figures that were prominent before and during his childhood. He is a huge fan of Laurel and Hardy and Tony Hancock. Another favourite of his is the actor and film director Woody Allen, who once bemoaned his own lack of success at the game. Said Woody: "I failed to make the Chess team because of my height"!

During a working trip back to England Stuart stayed in Liverpool and returned home to Haro with many posters of the Beatles. He is also a serious reader of classic English language books.

"When I am not playing in a competition I will spend time on my computer playing Chess and testing myself. The first part of a chess game is critical. "The outcome can depend on the first 15 moves. A good player always knows when to quit in a game. I am constantly learning more.

"I don’t get homesick for England. I have been away too long. I don’t watch current British television so what is happening culturally in Britain today passes me by. However, if the rain is pouring in Haro I can always watch my collection of that 1970’s comedy classic "George and Mildred!

"I spend my time in England rummaging for obscure LP’s as the woman who sold me my apartment included in the sale some furniture and an old record player. I usually return laden down with some great albums from years gone by.

"On my walls I have posters of British icons such as Michael Caine and Hugh Grant. People who are quintessentially British, for that is what I am. When I walk out of my apartment I am surrounded by all things Spanish but I can never be Spanish."

Haro is a very pretty and self sufficient town. Located near the motorway that runs from Bilbao to more southern areas of Spain, it has ample shops and supermarkets. In the summer the outdoor swimming pools are very busy. Live here and there doesn’t appear to be any reason to go elsewhere. So when not playing or studying the game, how does a thirty something, single and attractive male enjoy himself in such a rural town?

"I don’t find Haro remotely claustrophobic. I go out a lot. By day I go to the restaurants where I can enjoy the set menu of the day for 8 euros. By night the bars stay open as long as there are customers to serve.

"In the summer you will see children out in the town square until the early hours. It is a safe, friendly and homely town and that’s another reason why so many people from all over Spain own a second home here.

"The tourist board are doing a great job trying to encourage more Spaniards to visit this region for the many bodegas that are based here and for the mountains. You see a few British people around town in summer, but not many."

Stuart was too busy playing Chess at school to learn Spanish. That came when at a young age he travelled across South America armed only with a translation book. He admits it was a steep learning curve.

"When I went on my travels I had no Spanish to speak of and thought I would never be able to master the language. After the first week it began kicking in and after seven weeks I was making myself understood.

"I speak the language fluently now and anyone thinking of moving to towns in Spain that are not on the Costas must learn the language. It is vital. It’s not easy but after a few weeks of learning you will appreciate the benefits."

Today, on returning from his travels, he can discuss his latest triumphs with any Spaniard.

"I have had Spanish taxi drivers ask me very involved questions about Chess. Can you imagine that happening in England? Generally people in Spain know about Chess. It will never compete with tennis, golf or football but Chess has a higher standing culturally here than in Britain.

So where has he yet to explore that interests him?

"I have never been to the Extremadura region of Spain or to the Cabo de Gata, but I will do so eventually. There are many more Chess tournaments in Spain and the country is among the front runners in Europe. I get more work here than I would do if I lived in the UK. If I do well the prize money pays for the expenses.

"Last year I came second in the British Championships which was great. It is a young man’s game today so it is nice to know I can still pit my wits against the best."

"Christmas day I will spend with friends in Haro but the rest of that week I will be playing at an annual tournament in Pamplona."

Stuart has possibly found the perfect way to live in Spain. His skills, honed at a very early age, allow him to see all that the country has to offer.

Lunch comes to an end and it is up to me to utter a line he must have heard a thousand times.

"Don’t worry Stuart, I’ll get the cheque - mate"!