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Grand
Slam Chess Final Masters BilbaoThe Chess Grand Slam Final was staged in Bilbao, Spain, from September 1st to 13th 2008. It was a six-player double round-robin event, one of the strongest in the history of the game (at least by Elo average, 2775.6, making it a category 22 tournament). For rating purposes the traditional 1-½-0 system was used. The prize fund for the event was 400,000 Euros, with the winner receiving €150,000, the second place €70,000, etc. with the 6th player earning €30,000. You can find all ChessBase reports on this event here.
The handshake – with Veselin Topalov visible in the reflection of
the glass cabin
Carlsen ponders, with the public just meters away behind the sound-proof glass
An open zoom shot of the game
Teimour Radjabov considers his next move against Vassily Ivanchuk (background)
The chess talent from Baku: GM Teimour Radjabov
The Bilbao public watching every move in the "aquarium"
You really think you can play that? Magnus Carlsen in a game against Vassily
Ivanchuk
For a few days Magnus was number one in the world on the Live Ratings
Exhaustion – it is not an easy profession this young lad has taken up
Levon Aronian vs Veselin Topalov, with chief arbiter Faik Gasamov watching
Armenia's top GM Levon Aronian, a great fan of hot food, literature and
movies
Vassily Ivanchuk, 39, top grandmaster from Ukraine
A disastrous tournament for Viswanathan Anand
The reigning World Champion could not show his full potential
The last throes of a game – Lev Aronian knows he has lost...
... and resigns ruefully to his young opponent Magnus Carlsen
Notice the resemblance? Magnus Carlsen with his two younger sisters Signe
and Ingrid
María Teresa (Maite) Lopez, one of the charming organisers
Sometimes stuff happens, life goes on: Vishy Anand
I'll be back, I'm just 21: Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan
Future boy: 17-year-old Magnus Carlsen in second place
The winner by a big margin: precision player Veselin Topalov
All photos © Fred Lucas
Fred Lucas is specialised in business photography. He also runs a small portrait studio in the center part of Utrecht. In addition he occasionally photographs the mind sport chess. He is a member of BFN, the Dutch Association of Professional photographers. His photos have been published in industrial books and magazines, Dutch newspapers, magazines like Nieuwe Revu, international magazines and newspapers like Aftenposten, Le Monde and the New York Times.
LinksThe games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse the PGN games. |
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