[1] The tournament was launched in 1994 by the businessman and software-founder of Volmac (since 1992 it belongs to the Cap Gemini Group[2]), Joop van Oosterom, who is also a billiards and chess enthusiast.
In 1992 Joop already dedicated Melody Amber, a blindfold and correspondence chess tournament, to his other daughter.
The tournament was one of the best-paid - the prizes were ever tournament always around U.S. $70,000, there were extra bonuses for services paid and the winner took home about $20,000 - its kind, similar to the AGIPI Billiard Masters in Schiltigheim, France and it was considered as "The little World Championship".
Among the players who called the tournament also "The Monaco", it had a high reputation and everyone gladly followed the invitation of van Oosterom.
Many players have been invited over the years, such as: Semih Saygıner (16 ×), Frédéric Caudron (15 ×), Frans van Kuijk (13 ×), Marco Zanetti (11 ×) and Daniel Sánchez (8 ×).