Final Chess Masters Bilbao 2009

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The Grand Slam: A new way of seeing chess

The end of the explosive rivalry between Kasparov and Karpov, as well as the retirement of the former from chess in 2005 left elite chess in silet expectation, deprived of the excitement of the highest rivalry in all sports history, spiced up with tasty political factors and a wide media interest. On the other hand, the great social and pedagogic usefulness of chess, as well as its perfect match with the Internet, its very ancient history with its fascinating characters and its interesting connections with art and science provide a base good enough for a splendid future.

The intersection of these two ideas gave birth to the Grand Slam Chess Association with a clear view into the future. For the new-set foundations to be really solid nothing better than uniting the two tournaments of longest tradition, the Wijk aan Zee Corus and the Ciudad de Linares (Spain) with the most avant-garde classical chess, the Sofia Mtel Masters (Bulgaria). Now it only lacked a layer of modernity, and who else could better provide it than the Bilbao organisers, who had already dazzled with their man-machine tournaments (2004 y 2005) and blindfold chess games (Topalov-Judit Polgar 2006 and the World Cup 2007).

After the successful final of the last year, strongest tournament every held, in 2009 the family of the Grand Slam grows with the incorporation of Nanjing´s tournament, while London organization knocks on the door of the Gran Slam Chess Association.

This is the heart of the idea, yet the wrapping is in this case almost as important as the contents, and it is here that Bilbao is taking a step into the future: players isolated inside a glass case located in a square right in the centre of town; first-class commentators just a few meters from the crystal case; high quality broadcasting via the Internet; guaranteed fighting spirit, short draws banned and three points per win; and many parallel activities, paying particular attention to children and fans.

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