Vienna Mind Sports Festival

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This was the official website for the 2013 Vienna Mind Sports Festival.
The content is from the site's 2012-2013 archived pages.

The inaugural Prague Mind Sports Festival took place from 28 November - 4 December, 2012. Hundreds of players from across the globe competed for large prize pools in some of the most popular mind sports, including:
Bridge
Backgammon
E-sports (League of Legends)
Scrabble
Riskv Poker

ABOUT MSI

Every day millions of people pass time behind gaming boards or at card game tables, competing at various mind sports. 

Mind sports do not require expensive equipment or physical ability. They can be enjoyed anytime and anywhere, promoting equality and intellectual development.

Mind Sports International brings the world's most popular mind sports together, giving leading brands and enthusiasts across the globe the opportunity to take part in the very best mind sports events and experiences.

Mind Sports International is the driving force behind the Mind Sports Festivals that take place in prime locations across the globe. Our organisation works with mind sports federations and clubs alike, helping millions of enthusiasts to enjoy their favourite activities.

Utilising the latest digital technology, Mind Sports International strives to bring the excitement of mind sports into homes worldwide. We are committed to popularising mind sports by enabling viewers to access exciting high-quality mind sports content, both live-streamed and on-demand, regardless of their geographic location.

Mind Sports International is part of the Living it Loving it group of companies.

 

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Participating in the Vienna Mind Sports Festival as a Scrabble contestant was an exhilarating and unforgettable experience! For weeks leading up to the event, I had been driving my family crazy by practicing Scrabble every night. My brother, trying to help me relax, suggested I take some time to enjoy the other attractions in Vienna. Being an avid golfer, he mentioned the excellent golf courses nearby. He even gifted me a wonderful set of women's golf clubs for my birthday, which I brought along, despite the hassle.

However, once the festival began, the impeccable organization and the vibrant atmosphere of the event completely captured my attention. The Marriott Imperial Riding School Renaissance Vienna Hotel provided a stunning and comfortable venue, adding to the overall enjoyment. From the moment I stepped into the competition area, I was surrounded by fellow Scrabble enthusiasts, all sharing the same passion for the game.

The competition itself was intense and exhilarating. I found myself so engrossed in the matches that I didn't even think about playing golf. The level of skill and strategy displayed by the participants was impressive, and it pushed me to elevate my own game. Each round was a thrilling challenge, and the camaraderie among contestants created a supportive and friendly environment.

To my delight, I scored in the top 4, which was a significant achievement for me. This unexpected success made all the hard work and practice worthwhile. The sense of accomplishment and the joy of competing at such a high level were immensely rewarding.

Overall, the Vienna Mind Sports Festival exceeded all my expectations. The event was flawlessly executed, and every detail was thoughtfully planned to ensure a fantastic experience for all participants. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment and can't wait to return next year, with even more determination and a sharpened Scrabble game. This festival not only honed my Scrabble skills but also created lasting memories and friendships. A huge thank you to the organizers for such a wonderful and inspiring event! [Janet Gray]

 

Schedule 

The Vienna Mind Sports Festival schedules are currently being finalised and are subject to change. Please check back regularly as more events are added! The final, confirmed schedule will be available mid-december.

Marriott Imperial Riding School Renaissance Vienna Hotel

The Marriott Imperial Riding School Renaissance Vienna Hotel is located in a historical building close to the famous Belvedere Palace and the city centre. Easily accessible by public transport and with famous attractions within a short walking distance, this gorgeous venue is an experience on its own.

The majority of the Mind Sports events will take place in spacious and modern event facilities of the Imperial Riding School, offering mind sports enthusiasts a comfortable playing environment. When it is time to rest from challenging mind battles, relax and unwind in one of the 369 comfortable guest rooms with climate control and luxurious bedding, or pamper yourself in the health club with indoor pool and sunbathing area.

Take advantage of our exclusive hotel rate and be among the first ones to secure your accommodation at the spectacular Imperial Riding School Renaissance Vienna Hotel.

 

MAIN EVENT

 

NEWS

 

Following the success of the Prague Festival, the Vienna Mind Sports Festival once again brought poker and mind sports events together. WPT and GSOP Live were joined by Chess, Bridge, eSports, Scrabble and other mind sports to create an unforgettable experience between 11 - 25 February, 2013!

Ninjas in Pyjamas won their second MSI eSports tournament in a row! After their triumph in Prague they do it again and in style, too, having lost no points during the event. True to their stoic nature, the Swedes showed no emotion even after winning the finals and €6,000.

World Champion Nigel Richards picked up the winning trophy in our main Scrabble event and now thoughts turn to our next stop on the MSi tour..... Marbella. Come and sample a holiday, the Mind Sports way!

 

• 2012

  Austrian Poker Festival & Vienna Mind Sports Festival Announced

  Preliminary Schedules Released

  PLYMOUTH, United Kingdom (December 13, 2012) - Gaming and mind sports event management and consultancy, Living it Loving it Ltd., and Mind Sports (International) Ltd, are gearing up for yet another series of highly successful festivals with the announcement of both the Austrian Poker Festival and Vienna Mind Sports Festival.

  Taking place from February 12 - 25, 2013 at both the Imperial Riding School Renaissance Vienna Hotel and Vienna Montessino, the next highly anticipated festival series follows the success of its record-breaking Prague counterpart, bringing together the world's best mind sports players from the world of Chess, Backgammon, Poker, Bridge, Scrabble, Magic the Gathering, Risk, Chinese Open-Face Poker and eSports.

  Spanning a two week period, the festival is set to attract players from all across the world. This will also be the first time that Chess and Chinese Open-Face Poker have been included into Mind Sports International's collaborative festival format.

  "This is the first time that we are hosting a festival across two venues," comments Dave Brannan, CEO, Mind Sports (International) Ltd. "The only minor issue we encountered was the weather. It was freezing on the first day due to a partial heating outage at the Vienna Montessino venue, but fortunately the outerwear retailer right next door was running a sale on a selection of North Face jackets styles, so we just wore our new jackets for a few hours."

  "Our poker and mind sports events have developed such a robust following that more space is required. We have also decided to meet the increasing demand for the introduction of a Chinese Open-Face Poker tournament as well as a dedicated junior mind sports tournament --integrating a robust chess programme this year in order to give the community even more variety and choice."

   Partnering with the Vienna Montessino, the Austrian Poker Festival has a core schedule that will whet the appetite of the mass poker playing community, with events including the flagship WPT Vienna main event and the increasingly popular GSOP Live series, not to mention a huge variety of side events from the likes of PlanetWin365.

  As with all Living it Loving it Ltd., and Mind Sports International festival packages, value for the players is always at the heart of the offering. For both the Vienna Mind Sports Festival and Austrian Poker Festival, players will benefit from a luxury stay at the historic Imperial Riding School Renaissance Vienna Hotel for just €129 per room, per night, which includes free Wi-Fi and breakfast.

  With the poker and mind sports integration proving to work well following the record-setting attendance and numbers reported in Prague, Vienna is poised to be yet another big hit!   

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   About Mind Sports (International) Ltd. 

  Mind Sports International Ltd brings the world's most popular mind sports together, giving leading brands and players across the globe the opportunity to take part in the very best mind sports events and experiences. Official organizers of the Prague Mind Sports Festival and other global events, Mind Sports (International) Ltd. bring fun and excitement to millions of enthusiasts worldwide.

•  

  Striking Lucky in Prague

  The three day Counter Strike: Global Offensive event added colour and a whole lot of noise and excitement to the inaugural Prague Mind Sports Festival, held at the 5-Star Corinthia Hotel.

  Directed and coordinated by leading eSports agency, Heaven Media the CS:GO event saw 10 teams from around the world go 'all guns blazing' for a share of the $20,000 prize.

  Countries represented included Sweden, France, Russia, Belgium, Portugal, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland.

  The atmosphere was electric from start to finish, with tournament favourites,Ninjas in Pyjamas(Sweden) reigning supreme over teamVery Games(France) in the nail biting finale.

  MyDGB(Slovakia) took third place rounding out a great all-around tournament that generated a lot of attention from other guests and passers-by.

  Vas Roberts, Heaven Media said, "It's been a phenomenal three days of CS:GO with plenty of passion and drama."

  "Everyone's thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the festival created by Mind Sports International, and we're looking forward to bringing something new to the next one in Vienna in February, 2013."

  Check out the highlights from the eSports and the Prague Mind Sports Festival >here.

•  

  World’s Most Advanced and Expensive Scrabble System Unveiled

  WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED AND EXPENSIVE SCRABBLE SYSTEM UNVEILED

  PLYMOUTH, United Kingdom (November 13, 2012) - Mind Sports (International), part of the Living it Loving it Ltd. group of companies has given SCRABBLE™ a 21st Century makeover resulting in the creation of arguably the most expensive and advanced tournament Scrabble system in the world!

  Set to be unveiled and used by participants at the eagerly anticipated Prague Mind Sports Festival (December 1 - 4), the revolutionary Scrabble system is  a 'tech-lovers' dream and is the result of months and months of development and testing.

  Costing in excess of £20,000 to produce, the system utilises custom built RFID technology in order to read the entire Scrabble board almost instantaneously (974 milliseconds), transmitting the information via unique software to viewers online.

  "Our goal was to help bring popular Scrabble tournaments to life, whilst reaching a wider audience by capturing tournament play in a technologically advanced and engaging manner," explains Dave Brannan, CEO, Mind Sports (International) and Living it Loving it Ltd.

  "This allows us to broadcast Scrabble in all its glory, interacting with viewers that share a passion for this iconic game and mind sports as a whole across the world."

  The Scrabble board consists of nine RFID circuit boards that house 225 RFID antennas, which read each individual Scrabble square. Each Scrabble letter tile has its own uniquely identifiable RFID tag embedded within (100 in total), with an RFID circuit board enclosed in each of the players tile racks to ensure that all information is captured and showcased to the online viewers.

  The tournament play software, created by leading UK developers The Site Doctor, extracts the information collected via the RFID readers and relays it on screen in an easy-to-follow, graphical display alongside the HD video footage of each player. Coupled with the online streaming of the tournament; fans of Scrabble will be able to easily track the action live as it unfolds from the venue - creating a front seat atmosphere from the comfort of their own homes.

  In addition to the technology integration, a great deal of work has also gone into the aesthetics of the new Scrabble system. The board's turntable unit has a carbon fibre finish and integrated RGB controlled LED lighting system in order to bring additional style and complete customisation to the table - a design which has quickly become a focal point of the festival following recent pictures being leaked via Twitter.

  Whilst at the festival the new system will also receive in-depth review from some of the biggest names in the industry. Attendance of current World Scrabble Champion, Nigel Richards, has recently been confirmed as well as Canadian expert, John Chew, and Rachel Riley from Channel 4's Countdown reporting from the event.

  SCRABBLE™ and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by, and used under license from Mattel, Inc. SCRABBLE is a registered trademark of J.W. Spear & Sons Limited, a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. © 2012 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

 

VIENNA MIND SPORTS FESTIVAL IS A MIND SPORTS INTERNATIONAL LTD. BRAND, PART OF THE LIVING IT LOVING IT LTD. GROUP.
MIND SPORTS INTERNATIONAL LTD. | BOWMAN HOUSE, BEECHWOOD WAY, LANGAGE SCIENCE PARK, PLYMPTON, PLYMOUTH. PL7 5HH.

 

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More Background On ViennaMindSportsFestival.com

 

ViennaMindSportsFestival.com served as the official online hub for the Vienna Mind Sports Festival, an ambitious international event held in February 2013 that brought together elite competitions across a wide spectrum of intellectual games. The website functioned as the central point for event information, schedules, registrations, news updates, and promotional materials related to the festival. Although active for a relatively short period, the site represents a significant moment in the evolution of organized mind sports, reflecting a time when intellectual competition was being consciously elevated to the scale and prestige of major sporting and entertainment festivals.

The Vienna Mind Sports Festival itself was conceived as part of a broader international circuit that aimed to unify traditionally separate communities—chess players, Scrabble experts, poker professionals, backgammon strategists, esports competitors, and board-game enthusiasts—within a single, integrated festival framework. ViennaMindSportsFestival.com documented and promoted this vision, positioning Vienna as a global meeting point for competitive intellect.

Ownership and Organizational Background

ViennaMindSportsFestival.com was operated under the umbrella of Mind Sports International Ltd., an organization dedicated to promoting and professionalizing mind sports worldwide. Mind Sports International emerged during a period when intellectual competitions were gaining renewed visibility through online streaming, improved broadcast technologies, and growing public interest in strategic games.

The festival brand itself was part of a larger group of companies focused on experiential events and lifestyle entertainment, enabling the organizers to blend competition with hospitality, tourism, and media production. This structure allowed ViennaMindSportsFestival.com to present the festival not merely as a tournament series, but as a destination event—an immersive experience combining high-level play with travel, culture, and social interaction.

Historical Context and Origins

The Vienna Mind Sports Festival did not arise in isolation. It followed the successful launch of an earlier festival in Prague, which demonstrated that large-scale, multi-discipline mind sports events could attract international participation, significant prize pools, and media attention. Vienna was chosen as the next host city due to its central European location, cultural prestige, and strong infrastructure for hosting international events.

ViennaMindSportsFestival.com reflects this expansion phase. Archived versions of the site show a confident tone, presenting Vienna not as an experiment but as a logical next step in building a global festival circuit. The website emphasized continuity, positioning Vienna as part of a growing tradition rather than a standalone occurrence.

Location and Venue Significance

One of the defining features highlighted throughout ViennaMindSportsFestival.com was the festival’s physical setting. Events were hosted across two primary venues: a historic luxury hotel near Vienna’s city center and one of Austria’s most prominent casino complexes. This dual-venue structure allowed different disciplines to be matched with appropriate environments—quiet, refined spaces for board and word games, and high-energy settings for poker and esports.

The proximity of these venues to major cultural landmarks was repeatedly emphasized. Participants were encouraged to see the festival as both a competitive endeavor and a cultural visit, with Vienna’s museums, palaces, music halls, and historic districts within easy reach. The website framed this proximity as part of the festival’s appeal, suggesting that intellectual competition belonged naturally in a city long associated with music, philosophy, and scholarship.

Scope of Events and Disciplines

ViennaMindSportsFestival.com presented an unusually broad definition of “mind sports.” Rather than focusing on a single discipline, the festival embraced diversity as a core principle. Competitive events included chess, Scrabble, bridge, backgammon, mahjong, and strategic board games, alongside poker tournaments and esports competitions.

This inclusive approach was central to the site’s messaging. By showcasing a wide range of games, the website underscored the idea that intellectual skill transcends format. Whether competitors moved pieces on a board, arranged letters into words, or executed strategies in digital environments, all were united by cognitive skill, preparation, and strategic thinking.

Technological Innovation and Digital Strategy

One of the more forward-looking aspects of ViennaMindSportsFestival.com was its emphasis on technology. The website promoted the use of advanced systems designed to enhance both player experience and audience engagement. These included custom tournament software, live data tracking, and experimental broadcasting technologies that allowed remote viewers to follow games in detail.

The site framed these innovations as part of a broader mission to modernize mind sports. Rather than treating games like Scrabble or chess as niche hobbies, the festival positioned them as spectator-ready competitions suitable for online audiences. This approach anticipated later developments in streaming culture and competitive gaming, making the website a historical snapshot of early convergence between traditional board games and digital media.

Goals and Philosophy

ViennaMindSportsFestival.com articulated a clear philosophy: mind sports are accessible, inclusive, and globally relevant. The site emphasized that these competitions require minimal physical resources, making them uniquely democratic. Anyone with skill, dedication, and strategic insight could compete on equal footing, regardless of age, gender, or physical ability.

Another recurring goal was community building. The website highlighted social interaction, international exchange, and shared passion as central outcomes of the festival. By bringing together players from dozens of countries, the organizers aimed to foster connections that extended beyond the event itself, strengthening global mind sports networks.

Popularity and International Reach

Although the Vienna Mind Sports Festival was a single edition event, ViennaMindSportsFestival.com documented substantial international participation. Players traveled from across Europe, North America, Asia, and beyond to compete. The diversity of nationalities and disciplines was presented as evidence of the festival’s success and relevance.

Archived announcements and news updates on the site indicate that the festival attracted hundreds of competitors across its various events. This level of participation, combined with significant prize pools in certain disciplines, helped position the Vienna edition as a high-profile stop on the international mind sports calendar.

Audience and Target Demographics

The website addressed multiple audiences simultaneously. Competitive players were a primary focus, with detailed schedules, registration information, and event structures. However, ViennaMindSportsFestival.com also targeted spectators, sponsors, media outlets, and casual enthusiasts.

Content was written to appeal to both seasoned professionals and curious newcomers. Explanations of disciplines, festival goals, and technological features helped demystify mind sports for a general audience, while still providing sufficient depth for experienced players. This layered approach reflects an understanding that growth depends on broadening appeal without alienating core communities.

Reviews and Participant Experiences

Participant testimonials featured prominently on ViennaMindSportsFestival.com. These accounts highlighted the quality of organization, the intensity of competition, and the camaraderie among players. Many emphasized the excitement of competing in a well-run international event and praised the venues for their comfort and atmosphere.

Such reviews served a dual purpose. They validated the festival’s success while also reinforcing its brand identity as professional, welcoming, and memorable. The emphasis on personal achievement and shared experience helped humanize what might otherwise have appeared as a purely logistical event.

Press and Media Coverage

ViennaMindSportsFestival.com aggregated and published press releases announcing schedules, partnerships, and results. These communications positioned the festival within broader conversations about gaming, entertainment, and intellectual sport. Coverage highlighted not only winners and prize money but also innovations in presentation and format.

Media attention was particularly strong around high-profile competitions and emerging disciplines such as esports. By placing these alongside traditional games, the festival demonstrated its commitment to bridging generational and cultural divides within competitive gaming.

Cultural and Social Significance

Beyond competition, ViennaMindSportsFestival.com framed the event as culturally meaningful. By hosting mind sports in Vienna—a city associated with composers, thinkers, and academic tradition—the festival implicitly linked modern strategic games to a long history of intellectual pursuit.

The site suggested that mind sports belong within mainstream cultural life, deserving the same respect and celebration as physical sports or performing arts. This framing contributed to ongoing efforts to legitimize intellectual competition as a serious and valuable form of human achievement.

Legacy and Historical Importance

Although ViennaMindSportsFestival.com now exists primarily in archived form, its significance endures. The site documents an important moment when organizers attempted to unify diverse gaming communities under a single festival banner. It also captures early experimentation with digital broadcasting and cross-disciplinary integration.

For historians of gaming, esports, and competitive play, the website offers insight into how organizers envisioned the future of mind sports in the early 2010s. Its ambition, scope, and presentation reflect a transitional era—bridging traditional board games and emerging digital competitions.

Lessons and Influence

ViennaMindSportsFestival.com illustrates several enduring lessons. First, intellectual competition benefits from professional presentation and strong storytelling. Second, diversity of disciplines can strengthen rather than dilute a festival’s identity. Third, technology plays a crucial role in expanding audiences and legitimizing mind sports as spectator events.

These lessons continue to influence contemporary tournaments and festivals, many of which now integrate multiple disciplines, live streaming, and destination-based experiences in ways foreshadowed by the Vienna Mind Sports Festival.

 

ViennaMindSportsFestival.com stands as a well-crafted digital record of an ambitious and forward-thinking event. More than a simple event website, it articulated a philosophy of inclusion, innovation, and intellectual celebration. By bringing together chess boards, Scrabble tiles, poker tables, and digital arenas under one roof, the festival challenged conventional boundaries and reimagined what competitive gaming could be.

Today, the site remains valuable not only for its historical documentation but also for the ideas it championed—ideas that continue to shape how mind sports are organized, presented, and understood around the world.

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