Bilbao R2: all games drawn, Carlsen leads

Grand Slam Chess Final Masters Bilbao

The Chess Grand Slam Final is being staged in Bilbao, Spain, from September 1st to 13th 2008. It is 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). Games start at 17:00h local time (CEST). The scoring system in this tournament is different and experimental. Players get three points for a win, one point for a draw and zero points for losing a game. For rating purposes the traditional 1-½-0 system will be used. The prize fund for the event is 400,000 Euros, with the winner receiving €150,000, the second place €70,000, etc. with the 6th player getting €30,000. The sums are unprecedented for an event like this. Only World Championships have exceeded the amount.

Round two report

...which is a sound-proof glass cabin in the middle of the city square

Magnus through the glass walls of the "aquarium"

Vassily Ivanchuk at the start of a furious tactical game

Ivanchuk,V (2781) - Carlsen,M (2775) [B78]
Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (2), 03.09.2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 0-0 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0-0-0 Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.Kb1 a6. Both Carlsen and Radjabov have played this move in recent games, Magnus against Dominguez in Biel and against Anand in Main, Teimour against Karjakin in Sochi (with a splendid win). Amazingly Ivanchuk seemed unpreparted for it and spent 40 minutes thinking about his reply. Later Magnus speculated that Ivanchuk has been playing such a lot recently that he may not have time to look at all recent games. 13.Rhe1N. A new move. But Carlsen, who himself has been been thinking on Ivanchuk's time, is unfazed and plays on briskly. 13...b5 14.Bh6 Bxh6 15.Qxh6 Rxc3. A thematic exchange sacrifice. 16.bxc3 a5 17.f4 Neg4 18.Qh4 a4

19.Bxf7+ 19.h3 was also possible. Rxf7 20.e5! Nd5 21.e6. A pawn fork in return for the piece. Black can continue with 21...Rxf4 22.Ne2 Re4 23.exd7 or play as Magnus did: 21...Nxc3+ 22.Kc1. 22.Ka1 Bxe6 23.Nxe6 Qc8 24.Rd4 may have given White some chances. 22...Bxe6 23.Nxe6

Black would be in a bit of trouble if he didn't have the perpetual: 23...Qa5 24.Qxg4 Nxa2+ 25.Kb2 Qc3+ 26.Kxa2 Qxc2+ 27.Ka1 Qc3+ 28.Kb1 Qb3+ 29.Ka1 Qc3+ draw. This result was very satisfactory for Carlsen, who has a win and a draw in his first two black games.

Henrik Carlsen, Magnus' father, in the board projection

Topalov,V (2777) - Aronian,L (2737) [D11]
Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (2), 03.09.2008
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bg4 5.Qb3 Qb6 6.Nc3 e6 7.Nh4 Bh5 8.h3 Bg6 9.Nxg6 hxg6 10.Bd2 Nbd7 11.Bd3 Be7 12.0-0-0 a5 13.Kb1 Qa6 14.Ne2 a4 15.Qc2 dxc4 16.Bxc4 b5 17.Bd3 c5 18.dxc5 Nxc5 19.Nd4 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 Rh5 21.Rc1 Rd5 22.e4 Rd7 23.e5 Rad8 24.Be3 Nd5 25.Nc6 Nb4 26.Nxb4 Bxb4 27.Qe4 Bd2 28.Qh4 Bxe3 29.fxe3 b4 30.Qh8+ Ke7 31.Qxg7 a3 32.Qf6+ Kf8 33.Qh8+ Ke7 34.Qh4+ Ke8 35.Qh8+ Ke7 36.Qh4+ Ke8 37.Qh8+ draw.

Teimour Radjabov (left) vs Vishy Anand

Anand,V (2798) - Radjabov,T (2744) [B33]
Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (2), 03.09.2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c4 b4 12.Nc2 0-0 13.Ncxb4 Nxb4 14.Nxb4 Qb6 15.Nd5 Qxb2 16.Bd3 Bd8 17.0-0 Be6 18.Qb3 Qxb3 19.axb3 Rb8 20.Rfb1 Bxd5 21.cxd5 a5 22.Ra4 Bb6 23.b4 axb4 24.Raxb4 Ba7 25.Rxb8 Rxb8 26.Rxb8+ Bxb8 27.Kf1 Kf8 28.Ke2 Ke7 29.g3 Ba7 30.h4 Bd4 31.Kf3 Ba7 32.Ke2 Bd4 33.Kf3 Ba7 34.Ke2 Bd4 draw.

All pictures by Nadja Woisin in Bilbao

Bilbao scores

Traditional scores (for rating purposes)

Schedule and results

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN All ChessBase reports on Bilbao 2008 The 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.