Bilbao Grand Slam Chess Final Masters 2008: Carlsen back on top

Pawn sacrifices here and there

Magnus Carlsen benefited greatly from Levon Aronian's blunder on the 27th moves 27...axb4?? to reclaim the lead after 7 rounds of Bilbao Grand Slam Chess. Carlsen boldly sacrifice a second pawn early in the mach 15.d5!? for a violent Queenside action. Black managed to connect both his rooks that compensates for his king being stuck in the center. But Carlsen itching to get rid of black's bishop on b4 for a possible Bc5+ with tempo and overwhelming attacking chances, scrifice his rook 27.Rxb4. Aronian accept the sacrifice mistakenly and white never turns back, winning the match eight moves later. All other two matches ended in draws although the Topalov-Radjabov match is a fighting one.



GM Ivanchuk (2781) - GM Anand (2798) [D18]
Bilbao Grand Slam Final, 08.09.2008

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.0–0 Nbd7 9.Qb3 a5 10.Na2 Be7 11.Nh4 Be4 12.Nc3 Bd5 13.Bxd5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Nf3 Qb6 16.Qxb6 Nxb6 17.b3 f6 18.Bd2 Kd7 19.Rfc1 Rhc8 20.Ne1 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Ba3 22.Rc2 Nc8 23.Nd3 Ne7 24.Nc5+ Bxc5 25.Rxc5 b6 26.Rc2 h5 27.f3 Nc6 28.Kf2 Rb8 29.Ke2 b5 30.axb5 Rxb5 31.Ra2 Rxb3 32.Bxa5 Nxa5 Game drawn ½–½

Click here to replay the game.

GM Topalov (2777) - GM Radjabov (2744) [E74]
08.09.2008, Bilbao Grand Slam Final

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bg5 0–0 6.Be2 c5 7.d5 a6 8.a4 h6 9.Be3 e6 10.Nf3 exd5 11.cxd5 Bg4 12.Nd2 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 Re8 14.0–0 Nbd7 15.h3 Nh5 16.a5 Rb8 17.Ra4 Ne5 18.Kh2 Qe7 19.g3 Nd7 20.Kg2 Kh7 21.Qd1 Kg8 22.Qc2 Rbc8 23.Re1 Kh7 24.f4 Qd8 25.Nf3 Rb8 26.g4 Nhf6 27.Bf2 Ng8 28.g5 b5 29.axb6 Rxb6 30.Re2 h5 31.e5 Ne7 32.Rae4 dxe5 33.fxe5 Nf5 34.Na4 Rb4 35.e6 fxe6 36.dxe6 Nf8 37.Nxc5 Rxb2 38.Qc4 Rxe2 39.Rxe2 a5 40.Qb5 Qc8 41.Qxa5 Nxe6 42.Nxe6 Rxe6 43.Rxe6 Qxe6 44.Qc7 Ne7 45.Qb6 Qf5 46.Bg3 Qe4 47.Qa7 Qc2+ 48.Qf2 Qc6 49.Qe2 Nf5 50.Bf2 Qd5 51.Qd2 Qb7 52.Qd3 Be5 53.Qd2 Bd6 54.Qc1 Be7 55.Qd2 Qc6 56.Qf4 Qd5 57.Qc7 Qe4 58.Qd7 Nd6 59.Qa7 Nf5 60.Qd7 Qe2 61.Qa7 Kg7 62.Qa1+ Kg8 63.Qa8+ Kf7 64.Qd5+ Kg7 65.Kg1 Bd6 66.Bd4+ Nxd4 67.Qxd4+ Kh7 68.Qxd6 Qxf3 69.Qe7+ Kg8 70.Qe8+ Kg7 71.Qe7+ Kg8 72.Qe8+ Kg7 73.Qe7+ Game drawn ½–½

Click here to replay the game.

Standings after 6 rounds:

1. Carlsen, Magnus g NOR 2775 11

2. Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2777 10

3. Aronian, Levon g ARM 2737 6

4-6. Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2781 5
4-6. Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2798 5
4-6. Radjabov, Teimour g AZE 2744 5



- Photo courtesy of chessbase.com
- Tournament official website
- Live broadcast