Bilbao Chess Masters Final: Carlsen Wins on Tiebreak; Vallejo Announces Retirement

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen has taken the Bilbao Chess Masters Final trophy by beating Fabiano Caruana in two straight games of the tiebreak. This is the second time Carlsen has won the tournament. He was the defending champion.

Meanwhile, Spanish GM Francisco Valleko has announced his
retirement “indefinitely”, claiming fatigue and disappointed by his
performance in the tournament.

Final standings:
• Magnus Carlsen: 17 points (champion)
• Fabiano Caruana: 17 points.
• Levon Aronian: 11 points.
• Sergei Karjakin: 10 points
• Viswanathan Anand: 9 points.
• Francisco Vallejo: 6 points.

The final round saw three draws: Vallejo and Caruana, Aronian and Carlsen and Anand-Karjakin. 

Either of Carlsen or Caruana would have won the title without the tiebreak if any one of them had won the Round 10 match! But, that was not to be. Like last year, the tournament went into the tiebreak. Though, last there had been four players vying for the tiebreak win.

Before leaving chess, Vallejo, from Mallorca will fullfil the professional liabilities to which he has already committed. “In order

to play chess you must have hope, and I have lost it.” he said. “I have been 20 years out of my hometown, since I was 10, and it is time to go back and rest. I don´t want to say that I will not play more, because other champions have retired
and then they have come back some years after with excellent results. However, I need a break from chess and to start over some other vital projects. After that, we will see.” 

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com

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5th Chess Masters Final in Sao Paulo, Bilbao with Anand, Carlsen, Aronian, Karjakin, Vallejo, Caruana!

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

Five of the eight best chess players in the world will compete in the 5th edition of the Chess Masters Final to be held in Sao Paulo and Bilbao from September 24 to 29.

These include reigning world chess champion Viswanathan Anand, World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, World No. 2 Levon Aronian, Sergey Karjakin, Fabiano Caruana and Paco Vallejo.

Sao Paulo, Brazil's economic capital, will host the first half of the tournament from September 24 to 29. The second and deciding half will be played in Bilbao from October 8 to 13. Sao Paulo and Bilbao will, this year, once again host the Grand Slam Chess Masters Final, making both cities for the second consecutive year the world Chess capitals. The tournament will be played via a double half-robin league. The Brazilian megalopolis will host the first half from September 24 to 29 and the second and defining half will be played in Bilbao from October 8 to 13.


The last edition of the Grand Slam masters Final, first shared by Sao Paulo and Bilbao (the championship's fixed venue) was held from September 25 to October 1 in Brazil and October 5 to 11 in the Biscayan capital. Norway's Magnus Carlsen, number 1 in the world chess rankings, walked away with the title of champion on that occasion.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com
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Grand Slam Chess Masters Confirmed in Bilbao, Sao Paulo this September

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

The City Halls of Bilbao and Sao Paulo have officially announced the agreement between the two cities for the fifth edition of the Grand Slam Chess Masters. The agreement was finalised on Monday during the visit to Bilbao by the Deputy Secretary for External Relations of the Prefecture (City Hall) of Sao Paulo, Guilherme Mattar. 

The tournament, in which six of the world’s top chess players will participate, will be played in a double round-robin league. The Brazilian megalopolis will host the first round from September 24 to 29 and the second and deciding round will take place at its fixed venue, Bilbao, from October 8 to 13. The players' names would be announced at the official presentation ceremony which will be held in Sao Paulo. (In photo: Managing Director of the Bilbao City Hall Andoni Aldekoa and the Deputy Secretary for External Relations of the Prefecture (City Hall) of Sao Paulo, Guilherme Mattar).

The last edition of the Grand Slam Masters Final, the first time it was shared by Sao Paulo and Bilbao (the championship’s fixed venue), was held from September 25 to October 1 in Brazil and October 5 to 11 in the Biscayan capital. Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, number 1 in the world chess ranking, was the winner.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com