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TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
(SPECIAL SCORING IN EFFECT: 3 POINTS PER WIN; 1 POINT PER DRAW)
Grand Slam Chess Final Tournament
Veselin Topalov17(+4 -1 =5)[games]
Levon Aronian13(+3 -3 =4)[games]
Magnus Carlsen13(+3 -3 =4)[games]
Vasyl Ivanchuk12(+2 -2 =6)[games]
Teimour Radjabov10(+1 -2 =7)[games]
Viswanathan Anand8(+0 -2 =8)[games]

Chessgames.com Chess Event Description
Grand Slam Chess Final (2008)

The 1st Grand Slam Chess Final was held in Bilbao, Spain 2-13 September 2008. Negotiations between the organisers of major tournaments M-Tel Masters, Corus and Linares began in 2006, seeking to create a cycle of tournaments to raise the popularity of chess and attract increased sponsorship for major events. The Grand Slam Chess Association (GSCA) was established on 17 January 2007, and the first edition of the series for 2008 announced in May, with Bilbao confirmed as Masters Final hosts. The tournament used the Sofia Chess Rules, which forbids agreed draws before 30 moves, and the "Bilbao" scoring system of 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss (though for ratings purposes the traditional scoring is used). (1) A soundproofed and air-conditioned glass 'cube' was constructed to house the tournament, allowing spectators to watch closely the players inside. (2) Crosstable:

            01 02 03 04 05 06
1 Topalov   ** 11 ½0 ½1	½½ 1½  6½ 17
2 Carlsen   00 ** 11 ½0	1½ ½½  5  13
3 Aronian   ½1 00 ** 1½	½0 ½1  5  13
4 Ivanchuk  ½0 ½1 0½ **	½1 ½½  5  12
5 Radjabov  ½½ 0½ ½1 ½0	** ½½  4½ 10
6 Anand     0½ ½½ ½0 ½½	½½ **  4   8
Next edition: Grand Slam Chess Final (2009)

(1) Wikipedia article: Bilbao Chess Masters Final, (2) Wikipedia article: Bilbao Chess Masters Final#/media/File:Bilbao 2008 chess2.jpg

 page 1 of 2; games 1-25 of 30  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Anand vs Ivanchuk ½-½582008Grand Slam Chess FinalC89 Ruy Lopez, Marshall
2. Aronian vs Carlsen 0-1512008Grand Slam Chess FinalA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
3. Radjabov vs Topalov ½-½492008Grand Slam Chess FinalC45 Scotch Game
4. Ivanchuk vs Carlsen ½-½292008Grand Slam Chess FinalB78 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 10.castle long
5. Topalov vs Aronian ½-½372008Grand Slam Chess FinalD12 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
6. Anand vs Radjabov ½-½342008Grand Slam Chess FinalB33 Sicilian
7. Carlsen vs Topalov 0-1562008Grand Slam Chess FinalD58 Queen's Gambit Declined, Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) Syst
8. Radjabov vs Ivanchuk ½-½352008Grand Slam Chess FinalD20 Queen's Gambit Accepted
9. Aronian vs Anand ½-½422008Grand Slam Chess FinalD16 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
10. Topalov vs Anand 1-0252008Grand Slam Chess FinalE15 Queen's Indian
11. Carlsen vs Radjabov 1-0372008Grand Slam Chess FinalB78 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 10.castle long
12. Aronian vs Ivanchuk 1-0702008Grand Slam Chess FinalD27 Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical
13. Ivanchuk vs Topalov ½-½442008Grand Slam Chess FinalE34 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa Variation
14. Anand vs Carlsen ½-½362008Grand Slam Chess FinalC63 Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense
15. Radjabov vs Aronian ½-½342008Grand Slam Chess FinalC45 Scotch Game
16. Topalov vs Radjabov ½-½732008Grand Slam Chess FinalE75 King's Indian, Averbakh, Main line
17. Ivanchuk vs Anand ½-½322008Grand Slam Chess FinalD18 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Dutch
18. Carlsen vs Aronian 1-0362008Grand Slam Chess FinalD47 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
19. Carlsen vs Ivanchuk 0-1322008Grand Slam Chess FinalD37 Queen's Gambit Declined
20. Radjabov vs Anand ½-½292008Grand Slam Chess FinalB46 Sicilian, Taimanov Variation
21. Aronian vs Topalov 1-0582008Grand Slam Chess FinalE36 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
22. Topalov vs Carlsen 1-0482008Grand Slam Chess FinalB78 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 10.castle long
23. Anand vs Aronian 0-1752008Grand Slam Chess FinalC45 Scotch Game
24. Ivanchuk vs Radjabov 1-0492008Grand Slam Chess FinalB45 Sicilian, Taimanov
25. Anand vs Topalov ½-½412008Grand Slam Chess FinalB18 Caro-Kann, Classical
 page 1 of 2; games 1-25 of 30  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 105 OF 106 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Sep-13-08  ILikeFruits: On the first part of the journey
I was looking at all the life
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz
And the sky with no clouds
The heat was hot and the ground was dry
But the air was full of sound

I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain

Sep-13-08  chessya11: <frogbert> And sometime before July, I think Kramnik was 1st (tied with Anand, 1st on tiebreaks), which means we've had 6 different numero unos (official or otherwise) in a very short period of time. Astounding.
Sep-13-08  MarkusKann: What is the next strong tournament??
Sep-13-08  ILikeFruits: in the desert...
Sep-13-08  Bobsterman3000: Give Danailov the proper credit. This was a great tournament, with a very worthy finish...

Sep-13-08  visayanbraindoctor: Congratulations to GM Topalov and the Bilbao sponsors!

GM Ivanchuk was worst hit of all the players by the Danailov rules. Instead of a well-deserved tie for 2nd place, he is now sole 4th. He should have lost to Anand after forgetting the time control rules (if not for Anand's sportsmanship), and has not particularly done well in his game vs Aronian that lasted well over move 40 (although GM Aronian did play well and deserved the point).

So congrats to GM Topalov and the Bilbao sponsors once again; and to the sponsors, seen in this page

http://www.bilbaofinalmasters.com/e...

here's to hoping that next year, you would go back to the traditional scoring system and confine any 3 - 1 - 0 or any other such experimental scoring as merely a way to divide the prize fund, and to allow time increments after move 40.

Sep-13-08  e4ia: Re Aronian -Radj

Well, I haven't seen anything definitive in outcome after 45 Rbe1 Rxb3 and NOT 46Rxe8+ but 46.Ne3!?

so crank that on your comps and I'd be curious to know how that line evaluation plays out! No doubt perhaps chessbase.com will address this game in their reports on Sunday or Monday.

Kudos to Topalov!
I hope a strong GM publishes a heavily annotated book this tournament!

Sep-14-08  BipolarChessorder: If Anand's performance is anything to go by, he's focussing on the upcoming match, which is a good thing. Winning one more tournament is not going to make the difference that beating VK would.
Sep-14-08  TrueBlue: those people that bash Danailov have to remember that he was the one who found Topalov and coached him. If it wasn't for Danailov, Topalov would be a nobody today.
Sep-14-08  colles: May anybody check when it was last time that a reigning world champion finished last in a tournament?
Sep-14-08  rogge: MTel Masters (2005)
Sep-14-08  eremite: It is clear that there is a dozen (minimum!) of the top class players. It is worth mentioning, however, that Ivanchuk's contribution to chess is the most impressive as usual: 50 rated games plus victorous superblitz.
Sep-14-08  Landzhev: <visayan>, It's ironic what you say because Ivanchuk who "suffered" actually suggested these rules to Danailov! I don't want to repeat my posts, but if you look at page 100 from this discussion you'll see exactly what I'm talking about. I posted parts of an Ivanchuk interview. Anyway the kibitzer <SetNoEscapeOn> told me that the complaints about the rotten "Danailov rules" will continue even after that. So true :)
Sep-14-08  mr.fisk: I think it's very telling of todays situation that the result of this tournament is almost exactly reflected in the top ratings. The top players came in at pretty much the same rating, and went out according to their Bilbao performance.

Even though Topalov's timing was great and all that, he did beat Carlsen, Chucky and Anand in Bilbao. His first place is well deserved.

Sep-14-08  madlydeeply: Aronian and Carlsen's achievements in posting an even score far outstripped Ivanchuk's posting of an even score, therefore Ivanchuk very much deserves his abysmal fourth place finish.

Great scoring system. I'm so impressed.

Sep-14-08  dexterious: I'm really disappointed in Anand. Its clear that his heart was not in it, and that he *only* came for the 30,000 Euro or whatever that he was guaranteed. I'd expect this kind of shameless behaviour from Kramnik, but not Anand. He basically slept through the tournament. Shame on you, Anand! You're already one of the richest chess players, this was not necessary.

Bilbao tournament organizers made a blunder as well by invitiing Anand. I wish it had been morozevich instead of Anand, would have been so much more exciting with that!

The only consolation is that Anand loses his number 1 spot in rankings cause of this... but that is small thing.

Sep-14-08  madlydeeply: I suppose the 3-1-0 scoring system results in a tiebreaker system wherein if there is a tie for first place, the player with less draws wins.

The longer games are nice though. I say go back to the normal scoring system, with the same time controls and draw options but with an increment.

I hope Anand gets it together in time to open up a can of whupass on Kramnik.

Sep-14-08  Confuse: Curiously Anand's bad play here (and I know I'm late on the topic) could serve two purposes...

1. Kramnik has no "Latest on Anand" material to study from.

2. Shows that perhaps Anand has been preparing for Kramnik so much that his play against other styles has diminished.

...

Maybe I'm overthinking his performance here : )

Sep-14-08  vkj: <dexterious> Strong words!

I respect your right to express your exasperation with Anand, however I believe you are being harsh on him.

I am as big a fan or Anand (and Carlsen, and Kramnik, and Topalov) as any and I am with you in feeling let down by his play. However his right choose his moves is not any less than my right to get entertained. His discretion (on and off the board) has taken him where he is in life and I am sure he knows what he is doing.

I think your perspective tends to be somewhat different when you are on the verge of a world championship match against a formidable opponent and also you are facing top notch competition at Bilbao where you came to shake some dirt off you.

Further I don't think you become immoral if organizer value you worth at least 30K Euro and you are unable to deliver your worth because of your circumstances. In an ideal world, perhaps we all should be 110% of what we are, but we don't live in an ideal world, sometimes we just have to pick where we want to spend our maximum energy.

It is a sincere compliment to Anand that we expect him to be held to a higher standard than the rest of us and a commonplace behavior is below him :)

Cheer up, I believe things will be better in Bonn match and if he wins, I am sure he will make amends in the other tournaments he plays.

Sep-14-08  wanabe2000: <madlydeeply> Curious on Chessbase traditional scoring http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail... shows the tiebreakers with Aronian second, Ivanchuk third and Carlsen fourth.
Sep-14-08  offtherook: <TrueBlue: those people that bash Danailov have to remember that he was the one who found Topalov and coached him. If it wasn't for Danailov, Topalov would be a nobody today.> Would that have been such a great loss?
Sep-14-08  kellmano: < offtherook: <TrueBlue: those people that bash Danailov have to remember that he was the one who found Topalov and coached him. If it wasn't for Danailov, Topalov would be a nobody today.> Would that have been such a great loss? >

I don't particularly like Danailov, but yes, that would've been a great loss. The guy's chess is amazing.

Sep-14-08  parmetd: it is always a sad day when the only guy who doesn't deserve to win does.
Sep-14-08
Premium Chessgames Member		  tpstar: <Anand - basically slept through the tournament> I disagree. He took on the Marshall Gambit and the Sveshnikov as White, then played a Sicilian against Radjabov as Black. His games against Carlsen were great, both fighting draws. His two losses were when Topalov killed him early, then losing a long (but compelling) endgame to Aronian. No shame there.

How many times have we seen an elite player losing, only to "recover" with a short draw next round? OK, there were no short draws in this tournament, just like there were no easy opponents. I'm sure he would have liked to score better here, yet this was one of the strongest tournaments ever.

Credit Anand for choosing to promote the game. =)

Sep-14-08  frogbert: just a technicality:

anand wasn't <invited> to this event, he <qualified> to it, as did aronian and ivanchuk, by their wins in linares, corus and mtel.

the three players being <invited>, were carlsen, topalov and radjabov. originally, there were supposed to be 4 qualifiers and 2 invitees.

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