A hard-fought match
Press release
Vishy Anand won the last game of the semifinal match against Jaime Santos, and will face the winner of the semifinal between Boris Gelfand, a legend of the chessboard who has already won the Magistral twice, and the young Russian GM Andrey Esipenko in Sunday’s final.
[Follow the games live on Live.ChessBase.com]
Suspense was kept until the end in the match between Anand and Santos, both of whom showed a very high level. Only the very refined technique shown by the Indian champion in the last game finally decided the result in his favour.
The chess day started very early, with the presence of Rey Enigma throughout the morning in the streets of León.
This DVD allows you to learn from the example of one of the best players in the history of chess and from the explanations of the authors how to successfully organise your games strategically, and how to keep your opponent permanently under pressure.
In the afternoon, the focus moved to the Ciudad de León Auditorium, where the first semifinal was held. Avelino Crespo, technical secretary in the Junta de Castilla y León, was responsible for the ceremonial first move.

Before the start of the Santos-Anand clash, magic burst onto the stage of the Magistral at the hands of the international magician Xulio Merino, who has given the tournament a playful touch with brief and impressive magic shows at the start of the clash and during the breaks.
The chess show continues on Saturday with new appearances of Rey Enigma in the city, with the VII Chess Open ‘Ciudad de León’, which will bring together more than a hundred players in the Auditorium and with the second semifinal of the main event, which will pit Boris Gelfand and Andrey Esipenko against each other.

Find below game comments from the first semifinal by International Master Sergio Estremera.
Game 1
A brilliant victory for Jaime Santos in the first game of the match. Facing the Spanish opening put forth by the player from León, Anand went for the open system, but the chosen variation had a flow which Jaime Santos, showing great preparation, was able to punish, and with a very precise and direct played he scored the victory in just 25 moves.
A miniature against a world Champion!
1.e4 | 1,173,500 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
1.d4 | 952,126 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
1.Nf3 | 283,503 | 56% | 2440 | --- |
1.c4 | 183,155 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
1.g3 | 19,796 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
1.b3 | 14,442 | 54% | 2427 | --- |
1.f4 | 5,921 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
1.Nc3 | 3,851 | 50% | 2384 | --- |
1.b4 | 1,771 | 48% | 2379 | --- |
1.a3 | 1,234 | 54% | 2405 | --- |
1.e3 | 1,075 | 49% | 2409 | --- |
1.d3 | 961 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
1.g4 | 668 | 46% | 2360 | --- |
1.h4 | 465 | 54% | 2381 | --- |
1.c3 | 436 | 51% | 2426 | --- |
1.h3 | 283 | 56% | 2419 | --- |
1.a4 | 116 | 60% | 2462 | --- |
1.f3 | 99 | 47% | 2428 | --- |
1.Nh3 | 92 | 67% | 2511 | --- |
1.Na3 | 42 | 62% | 2482 | --- |
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.c3 Be7 10.Nbd2 Nc5 11.Bc2 d4 12.Nb3 dxc3 13.Nxc5 Bxc5 14.Be4 Qd7 15.bxc3 15.Bg5!? cxb2 16.Qxd7+ Bxd7 17.Rad1= 15...Rd8 16.Qc2 Bd5 17.Bg5 Bxe4! 18.Qxe4 Qd5 18...Ne7!= 19.Qg4! Rd7 20.Bh4 Kf8 21.a4! h5 21...b4 22.Qf5 b4 23.cxb4 Nxb4 23...Bxb4± 24.Rac1 a5 24.Rad1 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
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Santos Latasa,J | 2675 | Anand,V | 2756 | 1–0 | 2022 | | XXXV Magistral de Leon 2022 | 1.1 |
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Game 2
Vishy Anand hit back and drew the match. Once again a Spanish Opening, this time played by Anand, one of the greatest experts in history. After the first 15 moves, a difficult positional problem arose as to whether or not to exchange Black’s apparently strong bishop for White's knight. The position required Black to make this difficult decision in order to keep the balance. In the end, it was Anand who successfully dealt with this complex positional issue, and with his move 26.Nf5 he definitively avoided the exchange (...Bxe3) which Santos could have played on at least three occasions.
From then on, the game definitely swung to the side of the five-time world champion, who thus levelled the score in the first semifinal.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.c3 d6 8.d4 Bb6 9.Be3 0-0 10.Nbd2 Re8 11.Re1 Na5 11...Bg4 12.Qb1 exd4 13.cxd4 h6 12.Bc2 c5 13.d5 13...Ng4N 13...c4 14.b4 cxb3 15.axb3 Bd7 16.b4 Nb7 17.Qe2 Bxe3 18.Qxe3 Ng4 19.Qe2 Qb6 20.h3 Nf6 21.Ra3 Rec8 14.Nf1 14.Bg5!? f6 15.Bh4 14...Nxe3 15.Nxe3 c4 16.b4 cxb3 17.axb3 Qc7 18.Qd2 Bd7 19.Rec1 Rec8 20.Bd1 Qa7 21.Ra3! Nb7 22.b4 a5 22...f6= 23.Rca1 23.Nf5! 23...Rc7 23...f6= 24.Be2 24.Nf5! 24...Rac8 25.bxa5 Bxa5 25...Nxa5 26.c4 Nb3 27.Rxa7 27.Qb4 Nxa1 28.Rxa7 Bxa7± 27...Nxd2 28.Rxc7 Nxf3+ 29.Bxf3 29.gxf3 Rxc7 30.cxb5 Bd4 29...Rxc7 26.Nf5!+- Bxf5 27.exf5 f6 28.Bxb5 Rc5? 28...Qc5 29.Bc6 Nd8 30.Qa2 Rb8 30...Qc7 31.Rxa5 Rxa5 32.Qxa5 Nxc6 33.Qxc7 Rxc7 34.dxc6 Rxc6 31.Nd2 31.Rxa5? Rxa5 32.Qxa5 Qxa5-+ 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Anand,V | 2756 | Santos Latasa,J | 2675 | 1–0 | 2022 | | XXXV Magistral de Leon 2022 | 1.2 |
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Game 3
The solid Catalan Opening was Jaime Santos’ choice in his last white game of the match. Anand defended with one of the most solid options which, although it left White with a slight advantage, offered Black many possibilities to neutralise it. Jaime Santos, however, almost managed to increase the advantage with a brilliant manoeuvre with his bishop which gave him a pawn advantage, forcing Black into a difficult defence.
In time trouble, Santos played an inaccuracy that allowed his experienced opponent to simplify, and the game ended in a draw. Both opponents played a game of the highest technical level, keeping the score balanced with one game to go.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 c5 6.0-0 Nc6 7.dxc5 Qxd1 8.Rxd1 Bxc5 9.Nbd2 c3 10.bxc3 0-0 11.Nb3 Be7 12.c4 Bd7 13.Bb2 Rfc8 14.c5 Be8 15.Nfd2 b6 16.cxb6 axb6 17.Nc4 Rab8 18.Nd6 Bxd6 19.Rxd6 Na5 20.Nxa5 bxa5 21.Be5 21...Rb5N 21...Rb4 22.Rad1 h6 23.Bf3 Kh7 24.Rd8 Rxd8 25.Rxd8 Bb5 26.Ra8 Ra4 27.Bc3 Rxa2 28.Rxa5 Rxa5 29.Bxa5 22.f4 h6 23.Rad1 Kh7 24.h3 Rbc5 25.Bb7 R8c7 26.Ba6 Bb5 27.Bxb5 Rxb5 28.Rxe6! fxe6 29.Bxc7 Rb2 30.a4 Rxe2 31.Bxa5 31.Ra1!? 31...Ra2 32.Rd4 h5 33.Be1 Kg6! 34.a5 Kf5! 35.Kf1 Nd5 35...g6= 36.Bd2 Ra3 37.Kf2 Nf6 38.Ke2! Nd5 39.Rd3 39.Rc4 39...Ra1!= 40.Rb3 h4 41.gxh4 Nxf4+ 42.Bxf4 ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Santos Latasa,J | 2675 | Anand,V | 2756 | ½–½ | 2022 | | XXXV Magistral de Leon 2022 | 1.3 |
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Game 4
In this fourth game, in which the open system of the Spanish Opening was again played, Jaime Santos managed to overcome the opening problems and soon reached an endgame in which his slightly inferior structure was compensated by the greater activity of his pieces.
However, the somewhat hesitant play of Black allowed Anand to neutralise this activity and finally impose his structural superiority in what was a masterclass in chess technique.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.c3 Be7 10.Bc2 Bg4 11.Qe1 Nc5 12.Nbd2 Ne6 13.Qe2!N 13.h3 Bh5 14.Nh2 Bg6 15.Bxg6 fxg6 16.Nb3 g5 17.Qe2 0-0 18.Qg4 Qd7 19.Nf3 Rae8 20.Re1 13...Qd7 14.Re1 Nf4 15.Qe3 Ng6 16.h3 Bf5 17.Bxf5 Qxf5 18.Nd4 Nxd4 19.cxd4 0-0 20.Nf3 Rac8 21.Qb3 c5 22.dxc5 Bxc5 23.Be3 Bxe3 24.Qxe3 Rfe8 25.Rad1 Rcd8 26.Qd3 Qxd3 27.Rxd3 Nf4 28.Rd2 f6 29.exf6 Rxe1+ 30.Nxe1 gxf6 31.Kf1 Kf7 32.h4 Ke7 32...a5= 33.g3 33.Nc2!? 33...Ne6 34.Nc2 d4 35.Nb4 35...Rd6 36.Ke2 f5 36...a5= 37.Nd3 Rd8 37.Nd3 Rc6 38.Ne5 Rd6 39.Rd1 Kf6 39...Nc5= 40.Nd3!± Rc6 41.Kd2 Nd8 42.Nf4 Rd6 43.Rc1 Rc6 44.Re1 Rd6 45.Re8 Nc6 45...Ne6± 46.Rf8++- Ke5 47.Nd3+ Ke6 48.Nc5+ Ke5? 48...Ke7 49.Rxf5 Nb8 49.f4+ Kd5 50.Rxf5+ Kc4 51.Nd3 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Anand,V | 2756 | Santos Latasa,J | 2675 | 1–0 | 2022 | | XXXV Magistral de Leon 2022 | 1.4 |
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