
The first leg of the Grand Slam is being staged in São Paulo, Ibirapuera
Park, from September 25th to October 1st, the second leg is in Bilbao, Alhóndiga,
from 5th to 11th October. Tournament sytem: double round robin with six players
over ten rounds. Time control: 90 minutes/40 moves + 30 minutes + 10 seconds/move
starting with the 1st move. Game start: 15:00h local São Paulo time (2
p.m. New York, 20:00 h Europe).
Round five
By Albert Silver
Round 5: Saturday, October 1, 15:00h |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
0-1 |
Magnus Carlsen |
Hikaru Nakamura |
1-0 |
Francisco Vallejo |
Viswanathan Anand |
½-½ |
Levon Aronian |
|

Before the games started, the usual platoon of photographers and media was there
In a sense, the game between Ivanchuk and Carlsen was almost more awaited than the first round between Anand and Carlsen. The reason is that while the game between the world's top two players might have great expectations for who they are, here there was added drama because Ivanchuk was on a fantastic run, outracing and outpacing his 2800+ colleagues, while Carlsen was the last and most prominent opponent in this leg. Would Magnus be able to prevent the Ukrainian from running away with the tournament?

Magnus Carlsen ready to fight the good fight

The game between Carlsen and Ivanchuk gets underway with an avid audience

It was a hot sunny day in São Paulo, with the thermometer registering temperatures
as high as 38 C. (100 F.) though not for the players.

[Event "4th Final Masters"] [Site "Sao Paulo/Bilbao BRA/ESP"] [Date "2011.10.01"]
[Round "5"] [White "Ivanchuk, Vassily"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C11"] [WhiteElo "2765"] [BlackElo "2823"] [PlyCount "90"] [EventDate "2011.09.26"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 Be7 8. a3
O-O 9. Qd2 b6 10. g3 (10. Bd3 f6 11. exf6 Nxf6 12. Bb5 Qc7 13. Bxc6 Qxc6 14.
Ne5 Qe8 15. Qe2 Nd7 16. Nxd7 Bxd7 17. O-O Qg6 18. a4 c4 19. Rf3 a6 20. a5 b5
21. Nd1 b4 22. Nf2 Bb5 23. Rg3 Qf5 24. Qg4 Rf7 25. Qd1 c3 26. Ng4 Kh8 27. Ne5
Rff8 28. b3 Bf6 29. Ng4 Be8 30. Nxf6 gxf6 31. Qg4 Bg6 32. Qxf5 Bxf5 33. Ra2
h5 34. Bf2 Kh7 35. Re3 Rf7 36. Bh4 Rg8 37. g3 Be4 38. Re2 Kg6 39. Ra4 Rb7 40.
h3 Re8 41. Ra1 e5 42. fxe5 fxe5 43. dxe5 Rxe5 44. Rf1 Rf5 45. Rxf5 Bxf5 46.
Bd8 d4 47. g4 hxg4 48. hxg4 Bxc2 49. Rxc2 d3 {0-1 (49) Macieja,B (2470)-Morozevich,A
(2590)/St Petersburg 1997/CBM 062}) 10... Kh8 11. h4 f6 12. exf6 Nxf6 13. Bh3
Bd7 14. Rd1 cxd4 15. Nxd4 e5 16. Nxc6 Bxc6 17. fxe5 d4 18. exf6 Bxf6 19. O-O
dxc3 20. Qxd8 Raxd8 21. Rxd8 Rxd8 22. b3 {From here on the Norwegian GM proceeds
to outplay the tournament leader in this double-bishops ending. Typical Carlsen.}
Re8 23. Bf2 Be4 24. Re1 Re7 25. Rc1 h5 26. Bg2 Bf5 27. Bf3 g6 28. a4 Kh7 29.
b4 g5 30. a5 g4 31. axb6 axb6 32. Bc6 Re2 33. Bxb6 Be5 34. b5 Kg7 35. Ba5 Rxc2
36. Rxc2 Bxc2 37. Kf2 $2 (37. b6 {would have probably held the position.}) 37...
Bd3 38. Ke3 Bg6 39. Be4 $2 ({Once again White could have tried to defend with}
39. b6) 39... c2 40. Bd2 Bxg3 41. Bxg6 Kxg6 42. Kd3 Bf2 43. Kxc2 g3 44. Bf4
g2 45. Bh2 Kf5 {Nicely played by the amazing Magnus. A game to study.} 0-1

Magnus Carlsen signs an autograph for his young fan, Katherine
Vescovi, a budding prodigy who plays blindfold games against her
father, GM Vescovi, everyday on her way to school and back.
After the game, Magnus came down the corridor to the stage, bombarded by autograph requests and pictures, and looking as serious as always. In fact, considering the stoic look he carries when he comes to the board, with an air of nigh indifference, even after the game's tension has been released, one might easily be inclined to believe that this statuesque demeanor is his natural state. Well, it is not.
After his fantastic victory over the tournament leader, he left the board as concentrated-looking as usual and entered the small private player's area. Not noticing anyone else around, and thinking he was alone, he suddenly bent over, pumping his fist like crazy, saying "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Aronian and Anand focus before the game is started

The inaugural move is played by a young fan with Juan Carlos Garcia, director of the
Grand Slam Masters, and Davy D'israel, co-organizer of the São Paulo leg.
Anand played an early 6.d3 in a Ruy Lopez against Aronian, and while this might seem unambitious to some, bear in mind Aronian's likely choice would have been a Marshall, his usual weapon when he wants to secure a draw. It isn't that the Armenian never wins with it, but mostly it leads to lines that are literally 30 moves deep, and analyzed well into the phase of simplifications.

The formalities having been respected, time for action

A view of the players from outside the glass box, referred by them as the 'fish bowl'

[Event "4th Final Masters"] [Site "Sao Paulo/Bilbao BRA/ESP"] [Date "2011.10.01"]
[Round "5"] [White "Anand, Viswanathan"] [Black "Aronian, Levon"] [Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C84"] [WhiteElo "2817"] [BlackElo "2807"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2011.09.26"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4
b4 9. Nbd2 Na5 10. Ba2 c5 11. c3 Rb8 12. Nc4 O-O 13. Nxa5 Qxa5 14. Bd2 bxc3
15. Bxc3 Qd8 16. Nd2 Be6 17. Nc4 Qc8 18. Qf3 Bg4 19. Qe3 Be6 20. Qe2 Rd8 21.
a5 Qc6 22. Nb6 Rb7 23. Bxe6 fxe6 24. Rac1 Qe8 25. b4 cxb4 26. Bxb4 d5 27. Bc3
Bd6 28. f4 dxe4 29. fxe5 exd3 30. Qe3 Nd5 31. Nxd5 exd5 32. Qxd3 Bc5+ 33. Bd4
Qb5 34. Rc3 Qxd3 35. Rxd3 Bxd4+ 36. Rxd4 Rb5 37. Rc1 Rxa5 38. e6 Rb5 39. Rc6
a5 40. h3 h6 41. Ra6 Rb7 1/2-1/2

Aronian had wanted to punish Anand's intrepidity but admitted he had probably
overestimated
his position.
In the post-game press conference, Levon commented that after Vishy's 28.f4 he had wanted to punish him for endangering his king, and probably overestimated his own position at this point. Despite the potentially risky look the endgame gave, he did not feel he was ever in any real danger.

On his way out, the World Champion's name was repeated like a magic word by the
children, "Anand! Anand! Anand!"
The last game to finish was between Hikaru Nakamura and Franciso Vallejo Pons, and the gloves were taken off as both players played with gusto.

Hikaru Nakamura broke into a smile before the game's start, showing good spirits
Paco turned out to be the more "enterprising" of the two, as he sacrificed a piece to generate threats against Nakamura's king, preferring this than to finding himself being on the defensor's side. Despite genuine threats that required careful play by the American, Hikaru found his way out of the jungle, and was able to convert his material advantage.

After that, he recovered his concentration, evident from the hard game he won

[Event "4th Final Masters"] [Site "Sao Paulo/Bilbao BRA/ESP"] [Date "2011.10.01"]
[Round "5"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "Vallejo Pons, Francisco"] [Result
"1-0"] [ECO "A25"] [WhiteElo "2753"] [BlackElo "2716"] [PlyCount "117"] [EventDate
"2011.09.26"] 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 Bc5 4. Bg2 a6 5. e3 d6 6. Nge2 Nge7
7. b3 Ba7 8. Bb2 Rb8 9. d3 Bf5 10. Qd2 Qd7 11. h3 O-O 12. f4 $146 ({Predecessor:}
12. Rc1 h6 13. Nd5 Nd8 14. d4 c6 15. Ndc3 Qc7 16. O-O Ne6 17. d5 Nc5 18. e4
Bh7 19. b4 Nd7 20. c5 cxd5 21. exd5 Nf6 22. Na4 Rfd8 23. Rfd1 Be4 24. Bxe4 Nxe4
25. Qe3 Qd7 26. Qxe4 Qxa4 27. cxd6 Ng6 28. Nc3 Qd7 29. Qg4 Bd4 30. Qxd7 Rxd7
31. Na4 Bxb2 32. Nxb2 Rxd6 33. Nc4 Rd7 34. Nb6 Rd6 35. Nc4 Rd7 36. Ne3 Ne7 37.
Rc2 Rbd8 38. Rcd2 f6 39. Kg2 Kf7 40. Kf3 Rc8 41. Ke4 b5 {Moreno Ruiz,J (2459)-Anton
Guijarro,D (2302)/Madrid 2010/CBM 135 Extra/1-0 (64)}) 12... Be6 13. d4 Nf5
14. Bxc6 bxc6 15. O-O-O exd4 16. exd4 Ne7 17. g4 f5 18. g5 Bf7 19. Ng3 a5 20.
h4 a4 21. Nxa4 Bxc4 22. bxc4 c5 23. Nc3 Rb4 24. Qd3 cxd4 25. Nb5 d5 26. Nxa7
c5 27. cxd5 Qxa7 28. a3 Rb6 29. Qc4 Nc8 $2 ({Black has fought back, temporarily
investing two minor pieces in his queenside attack. He had good chances of holding
the position with} 29... Qb7 30. d6+ Nd5) 30. d6+ Kh8 31. d7 (31. Qxc5 {would
have finished off the opponent more quickly.}) 31... Qxd7 32. Rh2 Qb7 33. Rc2
Rb5 34. Nxf5 Rxf5 35. Rxd4 Rf8 36. Rdd2 Ne7 37. h5 Nf5 38. h6 Rxb2 39. hxg7+
Kxg7 40. Qc3+ Nd4 41. Rxb2 Qd5 42. Qh3 Re8 43. Rb6 Kg8 44. Kb2 Qf7 45. Qh6 Qxf4
46. Rh2 Re7 47. g6 Qxh6 48. Rxh6 Re2+ 49. Kc3 hxg6 50. Rhxg6+ Kf7 51. Rbf6+
Ke7 52. Ra6 Ne6 53. a4 Kd7 54. a5 Nc7 55. Ra7 Re7 56. a6 Ke8 57. Rb7 Kf7 58.
Rc6 Nd5+ 59. Kc4 {A wonderfully tactical game that deserves further analysis.}
1-0
In the post-mortem, Nakamura explained that although he was delighted to have won, it is always very unpleasant to find yourself defending such a position, and would much have preferred to be the attacker in the game. In compensation, he took clear second in both the traditional and Bilbao scoring system, and is also the only undefeated player thus far.
Gallery of pictures

A view of the lake in Ibirapuera Park

One could follow the games on the overhead screens, with video transmission of the
players in the fourth and right-most screen.

In the center is FM Luiz Loureiro, who provided dynamic commentary with a
wealth of anecdotes and information for the audience.

The audience was unsure which direction to position their chairs and some pointed
to the screens, while others toward the stage.

GM Milos gave a simul as the day's side-event

Many children participated, boys and girls alike

Though some preferred to set up their own chess fun

The event could never have flowed without the diligent work of the arbiters Marius van
Riemsdijk, Blas Pingas, and Chief Arbiter Herman Claudius van Riemsdijk.

Your reporter
Pictures by Albert Silver
Bilbao system scores after five rounds

Traditional crosstable after five rounds

Schedule and results
Round 1: Monday, September 26, 15:00h |
Viswanathan Anand |
½-½ |
Magnus Carlsen |
Hikaru Nakamura |
½-½ |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Levon Aronian |
1-0 |
Francisco Vallejo |
|
|
Round 2: Tuesday, September 27, 15:00h |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
1-0 |
Francisco Vallejo |
Magnus Carlsen |
½-½ |
Levon Aronian |
Hikaru Nakamura |
½-½ |
Viswanathan Anand |
|
|
Round 3: Wednesday, September 28, 15:00h |
Viswanathan Anand |
0-1 |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Levon Aronian |
½-½ |
Hikaru Nakamura |
Francisco Vallejo |
1-0 |
Magnus Carlsen |
|
|
Round 4: Friday, September 30, 15:00h |
Levon Aronian |
0-1 |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Francisco Vallejo |
0-1 |
Viswanathan Anand |
Magnus Carlsen |
½-½ |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
|
Round 5: Saturday, October 1, 15:00h |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
0-1 |
Magnus Carlsen |
Hikaru Nakamura |
1-0 |
Francisco Vallejo |
Viswanathan Anand |
½-½ |
Levon Aronian |
|
|
Round 6: Thursday, October 6, 17:00h |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
|
Hikaru Nakamura |
Magnus Carlsen |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Francisco Vallejo |
|
Levon Aronian |
Games –
Report |
|
Round 7: Friday, October 7, 17:00h |
Francisco Vallejo |
|
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Levon Aronian |
|
Magnus Carlsen |
Viswanathan Anand |
|
Hikaru Nakamura |
Games –
Report |
|
Round 8: Saturday, October 8, 17:00h |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
Levon Aronian |
Magnus Carlsen |
|
Francisco Vallejo |
Games –
Report |
|
Round 9: Monday, October 10, 17:00h |
Magnus Carlsen |
|
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Francisco Vallejo |
|
Hikaru Nakamura |
Levon Aronian |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Games –
Report |
|
Round 10: Tuesday, October 11, 16:00h |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
|
Levon Aronian |
Viswanathan Anand |
|
Francisco Vallejo |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
Magnus Carlsen |
Games –
Report |
|
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