Bilbao Masters 13-23 July 2016

[JustinHorton]

I saw the win beginning with the knight move (after some minutes) and didn't look further.

I very much doubt that I'd have found either win over the board, because I'd have had to find them before allowing the queen capture the bishop (let alone not knowing, in a game situation, that there was definitely a win there).

[NickFaulks]

I'm worried by the Bilbao Masters, from the point of view of chess as a financially viable industry - which, in today's world, is what the top players need it to be.

In the first half Carlsen, after starting with a shocking loss, was on fire. The ten games in which he was not involved were all drawn, many of them with no real play ( to my untutored eye, at least ). In the second half the "unbeatable" Giri suffered an extraordinary collapse. The ten games in which he was not involved were all drawn, many of them with no real play.

On several occasions the moves were not transmitted correctly and the online clocks could not cope with the time control. That is unnecessary and unforgivable, but the problem goes much deeper than that. The fact is that if I had paid money to watch these games, I would want it back.

Aside from the transmission issues, which are easily solved if people can be bothered, I'm not criticising anyone. Not the players, who generally produced chess of the highest quality - indeed, the games were at their most interesting when they slipped. Not the organisers, who rewarded the players well and tweaked the conditions in an attempt to produce combative chess. I'm just saying that those who think they can make everyone rich by packaging tournaments like this are dreaming. Even for chess enthusiasts, in terms of excitement it just isn't up there with Wimbledon, the Tour de France or the motor racing Grand Prix.

[JustinHorton]

Well maybe, but for many years now Formula One has been notable for the absence of overtaking and this year's Tour de France was essentially decided with a week to spare, Friday's wacky stage notwithstanding.