Local hero beats Oro and Le
Jaime Santos won the "39th Magistral de Ajedrez Ciudad de León" after beating defending champion Le Quang Liem 3½-½ in Sunday's final. The grandmaster from León claimed the title for the second time, following his previous victory in 2023, and did so with a clear win against the player who had taken the 2025 title by beating Vishy Anand.
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.The 2026 edition took place from 3 to 5 July and kept the event's traditional four-player knockout format. Each match consisted of four rapid games with a time control of 20 minutes per player and a 10-second increment from move one. If a match finished level, the players continued with 5+3 games. The field consisted of Le Quang Liem, Kirill Alekseenko, Faustino Oro and Santos, while the XI Open Internacional Magistral de León was held alongside the main event at the Auditorio Ciudad de León.
The broader León programme also included open events, simultaneous exhibitions, street chess and activities for children and amateur players, continuing the tournament's role as both an elite event and a local chess festival.
Le Quang Liem sharing his thoughts with commentator José "Pepe" Cuenca after beating Kirill Alekseenko in the semifinals | Photo: Official website
Jaime Santos facing Faustino Oro | Photo: Official website
Top trainers strongly recommend regular study of well-explained classical games to improve your understanding of chess in the long term. 33 modern classics are explained in details on this video course.
Jaime Santos turned 30 years old on Friday | Photo: Official website
Santos 3-1 Oro
Santos reached the final by beating Faustino Oro 3-1 in the first semifinal. The opening game ended in a repetition, after Santos had put pressure on the Argentine grandmaster in an Italian Game. In the second game, Oro obtained the better position but chose a materialistic approach, allowing Santos to seize the initiative and score the first win of the match.
The third game decided the semifinal. Needing to change the course of the match, Oro chose a Najdorf Sicilian, while Santos answered with the English Attack. The position became sharp, with chances for both sides, but Santos made better use of his opportunities and scored a second consecutive win. The fourth game was played with the match already decided and ended in another repetition.
Le 4-3 Alekseenko
Le Quang Liem had a more difficult path to the final against Kirill Alekseenko. Alekseenko won the first game after launching a direct attack in an Italian Game, while the second game was drawn. Le levelled the match in the third game, again in an Italian, after improving on his earlier opening play and taking advantage of a late error by his opponent.
The fourth rapid game also ended in a draw, though Alekseenko appeared to have chances before Le found an exchange sacrifice which closed the position. The match then went to tiebreaks. After two blitz games failed to separate the players, Le won the Armageddon game and secured a return to the final, where he was set to face Santos in a repeat of their 2025 semifinal encounter.
Santos 3½-½ Le
The final did not follow the pattern of the previous year. Santos won the first game with the black pieces after Le failed to take advantage of a critical error. The victory gave the local player the lead and left the defending champion under immediate pressure. The second game, a Berlin Defence, was balanced throughout and ended in a draw on move 36, leaving Santos ahead by 1½-½ at the halfway stage.
Santos then struck again with black in the third game. Le chose the London System, but Santos equalised without difficulty and gradually took over the position. The second black win of the match was enough to clinch the title. In the fourth game, with the result already decided, Le chose a sharp Sicilian, but Santos again took the initiative and added another win to complete a 3½-½ victory.
The result gave Santos his second title in his home tournament and completed a strong run through the knockout, in which he scored five wins and three draws across the semifinal and final. For Le, the defeat ended his title defence, one day after he had survived a difficult semifinal against Alekseenko.
This compact course is designed specifically for practical play. Instead of overwhelming you with endless theory, it focuses on the critical lines, typical plans, and recurring tactical ideas.
Looking for an opening that gets your opponents thinking on move one? Grandmaster Andy Woodward has relied on 1.b3 for years in blitz and bullet, using it to defeat strong masters and grandmasters who underestimated its hidden venom. While many players dismiss the opening as harmless, they often find themselves caught in unfamiliar positions, tactical traps, and uncomfortable middlegames. This compact course is designed specifically for practical play. Instead of overwhelming you with endless theory, it focuses on the critical lines, typical plans, and recurring tactical ideas that matter most when the clock is ticking.
Free video sample: Introduction
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