TWIC is 30. First issue 17th September 1994.
Renfe Blitz Anand - Karpov (Games and Report)
Anand and Karpov play blitz to promote Renfe trains between Madrid and Valencia
Mark Crowther - Wednesday 2nd February 2011
Karpov and Anand in play. Photo © | www.elajedrezdelfuturo.com
World Chess Champion Viswanathan and former champion Anatoly Karpov took part in an event in Spain promoting the high-speed train service between Madrid and Valencia. They played two blitz games both of which were agreed drawn when both were very short of time. They also took part in events on the 90 minute journeys from Madrid to Valencia and back again. Both blitz games are available.
Karpov - Anand handshake. Photo © Ajedrez Del Futuro Website. 2011 http://www.elajedrezdelfuturo.com.
Viswanathan Anand and Anatoly Karpov were in Spain on 1st February 2011 as part of an exhibition for Renfe Operadora Trains called "Caballo Ganador" (Horse winner). They started in the Madrid Atocha station and played a blitz 5 minute game, they then travelled the 391 miles to Valencia in 90 minutes and speeds of up to 300km per hour and played a second blitz game. Both games were drawn. They then returned back to Madrid on the train.
Karpov against Anand in play. Photo © Ajedrez Del Futuro Website. 2011 http://www.elajedrezdelfuturo.com.
On the way they each played 5 opponents in simultaneous exhibitions, signed autographs and were interviewed by Spanish television stations.
Renfe also released a special edition of the world's oldest chess book (13th centuary) by Jacobus de Cessolis called "Liber de moribus hominum et officiis nobilium super ludo scacchorum" ('Book of the customs of men and the duties of nobles or the Book of Chess').
Karpov and Anand in front of the train. Photo © Ajedrez Del Futuro Website. 2011 http://www.elajedrezdelfuturo.com.
The event was opened by famous Spanish Chess journalist Leontxo Garcia who referred to the book as example of the long history of chess in Spain. Both Anand, who has lived in Madrid for many years and played a lot of his chess there, and Karpov (he met Bobby Fischer in Spain a couple of times in 1976 in trying to organise a world title match) and it was also the site of his drawn match against Kasparov in 1987 as well as his triumph at Linares in 1994, have close ties to the country.
The unique event by the Spanish train company aimed to popularise chess and also publicise the high-speed trains on the recently opened Madrid-Valencia line.
Renfe Caballo Ganador (Madrid ESP)
Tue 1st Feb 2011 - Tue 1st Feb 2011 -
Official Site
Renfe Blitz (2 players 2 Rds Match Indiv TC:5m) - Games in PGN: Games
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