Biel/Bienne 2007

Biel 01: Happy Birthday, Judit Polgar – and great game!
23.07.2007 – The Grandmaster Group of the 40th annual Biel Chess Festival started with a spectacular black win for Judit Polgar, who was also celebrating her 31st birthday, over Loek van Wely. Magnus Carlsen was the second successful player, in a marathon game with white against China's Bu Xiangi. The other three games were drawn, mostly after interesting fights.

Biel 02: Onischuk beats Grischuk, remaining games drawn
24.07.2007 – The second round of the International Chess Festival in Biel/Bienne saw the battle of the Schuks, with Oni beating Gris, who at 23 is probably too young for the Slav. The other games were all drawn. Polgar and Carlsen fought out a theoretically important Open Spanish battle, whilst Motylev drew a long ending against Pelletier. Radjabov-Bu was 15 moves long. Report and games.

Biel 03: Wins for Bu vs Polgar, Motylev vs van Wely
26.07.2007 – Another day of exciting chess, with Bu Xiangzhi, the first Chinese GM to play in the Biel Chess Festival, defeating Judit Polgar in just 34 moves. Alexander Motylev, on the black side of an English Opening, demolished Loek van Wely. Top seeds Grischuk and Radjabov playing a cliff-hanger that ended after 66 moves in a draw. We bring you a report with pictures, and videos by Europe Echecs.

Biel 04: Four decided games, Carlsen and Onischuk lead
27.07.2007 – Magnus Carlsen was a tad lucky to beat Alexander Motylev with the black pieces – the Russian had pressed all through the game and then blundered. Avrukh taught Bu Xianghzi how every move counts, Onischuk outplayed Loek van Wely and Grischuk did the same to Pelletier. We bring you a report with a candid Europe Echecs video of Judit Polgar talking about Bobby Fischer.

Biel 06: Radjabov and Polgar win, Carlsen leads
29.07.2007 – Teimour Radjabov won in decisive style against Boris Avrukh, to replace him in second place behind Magnus Carlsen. Judit Polgar played an old and unfashionable line in the Najdorf, previously used by Fischer, to beat Alexander Motylev. In the Europe Echecs video section we hear about Topalov and the world championship in an outspoken interview with Anatoly Karpov.

Biel 05: Carlsen in the lead – can anyone stop this lad?
29.07.2007 – Magnus Carlsen beats Alexander Onischuk, his main rival, with a typical piece of tactical wizadry, while Bu beat Motylev in a fairly obscure game. The other encounters ended piecefully. 16-year-old Magnus has now taken the outright lead, a full point ahead of the field. His score is 4.0/5, his performance so far a scary 2907. Report with round five photos and commentary.

Biel 07: Radjabov wins, Carlsen loses to Pelletier
31.07.2007 – Two days ago, we asked who could stop Magnus Carlsen. Step forward Yannick Pelletier! The Swiss GM gave the home fans something to cheer about, as he cashed in on a very strange error by the Norwegian prodigy. Radjabov won his second straight game, after a mind-boggling slugfest against the luckless Van Wely, and now shares the lead with Carlsen. Echos of Fischer.

Biel 08: Carlsen loses to van Wely, Onischuk, Pelletier win
02.08.2007 – Magnus Carlsen lost his second straight game, and was thus overtaken by Radjabov, who drew quickly with Motylev, and Onischuk, who beat Avrukh. Yannick Pelletier won his second straight, against Bu, whilst Polgar found a miracle endgame save against Grischuk. With one round to go, Radjabov and Onischuk lead by half a point from Carlsen, Pelletier and Polgar. Exciting battles.

Biel 09: Carlsen beats Radjabov and Onischuk, wins Biel
03.08.2007 – Isn't this young man amazing! After losing two games in a row he bounced back with all the necessary force and determination in the final round, to beat the leading Teimour Radjabov in a critical game. Then, tying for first with Alexander Onischuk, he beat him in the tiebreak to take overall victory at the Biel GM tournament. Congratulations, Magnus, way to go, man.

Carlsen: 'This victory is a milestone for my career'
05.08.2007 – The first time he played in Biel he came in sixth. "I will never finish last againe here," the 14-year-old vowed. Last year he was second, and promised to come back for victory. Which is exactly what Magnus Carlsen delivered last week, winning his first high-level category 18 tournament. A few hours before his departure he gave Olivier Breisacher this informative interview.