Bilbao R3: Topalov beats Carlsen with black

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 three report

Before the start of the event: the stage is ready, the commentator in place

The town square clock shows that starting time is close

The players are in the glass cabin, the games can begin

The start of the only decided game of the day...

Carlsen,M (2775) - Topalov,V (2777) [D58]
Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (3), 04.09.2008
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.e3 b6 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.Bg3 c5 11.cxd5 Nxd5 12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.e4 Bb7 14.Rc1 a6 15.b4 cxb4 16.Bc7 Qe8 17.Qe2 b5 18.Ba5 Rc8 19.Qb2 Nf6 20.Rxc8 Qxc8

21.Nd2? Qc3 22.Qxc3 bxc3 23.Bxc3 Rc8 24.Ba5 Bd8 25.Bxd8 Rxd8 26.Rd1. Everything forced, and White has a pawn less. 26...Rxd4 27.Nb3 Rd8 28.f3 Kf8 29.Kf2 Nd7 30.Be2 Ke7 31.Na5 Ba8 32.Rc1 Kd6 33.Ke3 Nb6 34.f4 Rc8 35.Rxc8 Nxc8 36.Kd4 Ne7 37.Bf3 Kc7 38.Nb3 Kb6

39.Ke5 Ng6+ 40.Kd6 Nxf4. Now he's two pawns down. 41.Nc5 b4 42.h4 a5 43.g3. Things are going from bad to worse. Nobody and nothing can hold this position against Topalov. 43...Nh3 44.Nd7+ Ka7 45.Kc5 f5 46.Kb5 fxe4 47.Bh5 e3 48.Kxa5 g6 49.Bg4 h5 50.Be2 Ng1 51.Bf1 e2 52.Bxe2 Nxe2 53.Nf8 Be4 54.Nxe6 Nxg3 55.Nf4 Kb7 56.Kxb4 Kc6 0-1.

Armenian GM Levon Aronian at the start of his game against Vishy Anand

How much preparation can I show? World Champion Vishy Anand in Bilbao

Aronian,L (2737) - Anand,V (2798) [D16]
Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (3), 04.09.2008
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.a4 e6 6.e3 c5 7.Bxc4 Nc6 8.0-0 cxd4 9.exd4 Be7 10.Be3 0-0 11.Ne5 Nd5 12.Nxd5 exd5 13.Bd3 g6 14.a5 Bf6 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Qc1 Bd7 17.Qc3 Qb8 18.g3 Be7 19.Bf4 Bb4 20.Bxb8 Bxc3 21.Bxa7 Bxb2 22.Bc5 Bxa1 23.Rxa1 Rfb8 24.h4 Bf5 25.Bxf5 gxf5 26.a6 h5 27.a7 Rb7 28.Kg2 Kg7 29.Kf3 f6 30.Ra6 Rc7 31.Kf4 Kg6 32.f3 Rcc8 33.g4 fxg4 34.fxg4 hxg4 35.Kxg4 Rh8 36.Rxc6 Rae8 37.Bd6 Re4+ 38.Bf4 Rxd4 39.Ra6 Ra8 40.h5+ Kh7 41.Kf5 Rb4 42.Bb8 Rbxb8 draw.

Vassily Ivanchuk (left) vs Teimour Radjabov [Photo Susan Polgar]

Radjabov,T (2744) - Ivanchuk,V (2781) [D20]
Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (3), 04.09.2008
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Bxc4 Bb4+ 6.Nbd2 Nc6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.e5 Nd5 9.a3 Be7 10.Qb3 Na5 11.Qa4+ Nc6 12.Nxd4 Nb6 13.Nxc6 Nxa4 14.Nxd8 Bxd8 15.f4 Nb6 16.Ba2 Be6 17.Ne4 Bxa2 18.Rxa2 f5 19.Nc5 Rb8 20.b4 c6 21.g4 Nd5 22.Ne6 Rg8 23.Rg2 Bb6+ 24.Kh1 Ne7 25.Bb2 g6 26.h3 h6 27.Re1 Nd5 28.gxf5 Kf7 29.Nd4 Bxd4 30.Bxd4 gxf5 31.e6+ Ke7 32.Bc5+ Kf6 33.Bd4+ Ke7 34.Bc5+ Kf6 35.Bd4+ draw.

Up close: the public is behind sound-proof glass walls

Unique in GM tournaments: the venue is in the open, the public can approach the tables

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.