Leaving Linares: Closing ceremony, simul and Grand Slam

by ChessBase
3/13/2007 – Wrapping up our reports on this year's exciting Morelia/Linares Super-GM event we bring you pictures of the closing ceremony in Linares, which included a whirlwind visit by FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, a simultaneous exhibition with giant chess pieces and a meeting of the Grand Slam Association. Report with pictures and videos.

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The closing ceremony


Flamenco, heavy shoes, castañuelas – the closing ceremony of the XXIV
Torneo Intercontinental de Ajedrez beings in traditional Spanish style


The president of FIDE, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, has flown in and addresses the audience;

his remarks are translated by our own Pilar Molina of chatting-with-Aruna fame.


Levon Aronian and Vishy Anand picking up their prizes


Watch for the kid – Magnus Carlsen, the sensation of this Super-GM tournament


Posing with the President, who knows a winner when he sees one


Veselin Topalov gets a consolation prize


Anand gets the special first prize from Linares Mayor Juan Fernández


All the players with their prizes. By now you should know: Aronian, Topalov,
Svidler, Anand, Morozevich, Ivanchuk, Leko and Carlsen


Svidler, Morozevich, Ivanchuk and Anand with Juan Fernández and Ilyumzhinov


The closing ceremony ends on a traditionally festive note

Videos


The Grand Slam

Linare also hosted a meeting and press conference of the Grand Slam Chess Association (GSCA), which was established today in Wijk aan Zee earlier this year. It sets up a classical chess circuit with three major tournaments participating: the Corus tournament (in Wijk aan Zee), Linares, Sofia. The winners of these events in 2008 and a fourth player to be determined will play a Masters tournament in Bilbao (Autumn 2008).


Grand Slam conference in Linares


Press conference with Andoni Madariaga, representative of Bilbao, Juan Fernández, representative of Linares, and Silvio Danailov, representative of Sofía


Standing: Dolf Vos, President of the Corus Wijk aan Zee tournament, Juan Carlos Fernández, Organisor from Bilbao, Theo Hoogland of the Organisation Committee of the event. Seated: Andoni Madariaga, (Bilbao), Juan Fernández (Linares), Jeroen van den Berg, director of Wijk aan Zee, and Silvio Danailov.


Silvio Danailov, manager of Veselin Topalov and initiator of the Grand Slam


Agreement on all sides on the format and organisation of the Grand Prix


The street simul display

On the second rest day of the event Veselin Topalov and Vishy Anand gave a simultaneous display with giant chess pieces in the pedestrian zone of Linares.


Anand preparing for an unusual simultaneous in downtown Linares


The setup, with Topalov and Anand taking on four boards each


Simultaneous chess on a bigger scale than we have ever seen before


The trick, Veselin discovers, is to go for small, energy-saving pawn pushes


Spotted in the audience: the originator of the "Ciudad de Linares"
tournament and owner of the Anibal Hotel Luis Rentero


Dusk in Linares, a mining city that has become a world-famous chess venue


A fond farewell with a "see you next year" to all chess fans

All pictures and videos by Nadja Woisin

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