SOFIA 2005

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Six grandmasters played double rounds in the Grand Hotel Sofia from 12 until 22 v 2005. Organiser was Silvio Danailov, Topalov’s manager. MTel sponsored. Draws were only allowed by the arbiter in the case of a repetition of positions or a theoretical draw. 

At the end of the first cycle, Kramnik and Adams led by 3/5, Anand and Ponomariov had 2½/5, Topalov and Polgár trailed by 2/5 points. Topalov produced the incredible score of 4½/5 in the second cycle. Kramnik and Adams only made two draws. Veselin Topalov won the tournament overall by his fantastic finish. He was well prepared and fought brilliantly. 

Sofia 2005    1  2  3  4  5  6

1 Topalov    ** ½1 01 ½½ ½1 ½1  6½

2 Anand      ½0 ** ½½ ½½ ½1 ½1  5½

3 Ponomariov 10 ½½ ** ½½ 01 ½½  5

4 Polgár     ½½ ½½ ½½ ** 0½ ½1  5

5 Kramnik    ½0 ½0 10 1½ ** 0½  4

6 Adams      ½0 ½0 ½½ ½0 1½ **  4

The allotted time per game was two hours for forty moves, followed by one hour for twenty moves and half-an-hour for the rest of the game. Most battles lasted about six hours. Two players were unable to play ten games in eleven days: Kramnik and Adams broke down during the second cycle. 

Topalov remains concentrated during the whole game. Nowadays, a lot of energy is needed for a modern tournament of classical chess. As preparation, Veselin trains chess for 6 to 7 hours per day. This might easily lead to a burnout. Therefore a psychologist counsels him regularly. 

SOFIA 2006

Six grandmasters played for the second time in the Grand Hotel Sofia from 11 until 21 v 2006. Kamsky led by two points on Topalov at the end of round six. Veselin finished with four wins and led by half-a-point on Kamsky in the final standings. 

Sofia 2006    1  2  3  4  5  6 
1 Topalov    ** 11 01 ½0 ½1 ½1  6½
2 Kamsky     00 ** 1½ 1½ 1½ ½1  6
3 Anand      10 0½ ** ½½ 1½ 1½  5½
4 Svidler    ½1 0½ ½½ ** ½½ 10  5
5 Bacrot     ½0 0½ 0½ ½½ ** ½½  3½
6 Ponomariov ½0 ½0 0½ 01 ½½ **  3½

SOFIA 2007

The third MTel Masters was played in Sofia from 10 until 20 v 2007. Six grandmasters carried out two cycles. Topalov would play a main role again. He lost two games early in the tournament. Still he triumphed by a win over Sasikiran in the last round.

Sofia 2007    1  2  3  4  5  6
1 Topalov    ** 0½ ½½ 01 11 ½½  5½
2 Mamedyarov 1½ ** 10 ½½ ½0 ½½  5
3 Kamsky     ½½ 01 ** ½½ 01 ½½  5
4 Nisipeanu  10 ½½ ½½ ** ½½ 01  5
5 Sasikiran  00 ½1 10 ½½ ** ½1  5
6 Adams      ½½ ½½ ½½ 10 ½0 **  4½

SOFIA 2008

The fourth MTel Masters was played from 8 until 18 v 2008 in Sofia. Players could be seen in a sound-proof aquarium at the Central Military Club. Topalov scored well again, but Ivanchuk became the star of the event. He won all games in the first cycle and scored 8/10 eventually!

Sofia 2008     1  2  3  4  5  6
1 Ivanchuk    ** 1½ 1½ 11 1½ 1½  8
2 Topalov     0½ ** ½½ 11 10 11  6½
3 Radjabov    0½ ½½ ** ½½ ½1 ½1  5½
4 Cheparinov  00 00 ½½ ** 11 ½½  4
5 Bu Xiangzhi 0½ 01 ½0 00 ** ½½  3
6 Aronian     0½ 00 ½0 ½½ ½½ **  3

SOFIA 2009

The fifth M-Tel chess tournament happened from 13 until 23 v 2009 in Sofia. Six grandmasters carried out double rounds in an 'aquarium' before the National Theatre. Shirov defeated Carlsen in the last round and triumphed in the event.

Sofia 2009   1  2  3  4  5  6