The Linares International Chess Tournament (Spanish: Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez Ciudad de Linares) was an annual chess tournament, usually played around the end of February, which takes its name from the city of Linares in the Jaén province of Andalusia, Spain, in which it was held. It is sometimes described as the Wimbledon of chess, being one of the strongest annual tournaments held on the de facto chess tour, along with the "Tata Steel" (Wijk aan Zee), Tal Memorial and Dortmund events. The Linares tournament began in 1978 and was held annually from 1988 to 2010 (with the exception of 1996). Since 2010, the tournament has not been held for financial reasons.

History

The event, sponsored by Spanish businessman Luis Rentero, was first held in 1978. At that time it was not an elite event and was won by the relatively unknown Swede Jaan Eslon, on tie-break from the Argentine Roberto Luis Debarnot). After the following year's event, it was held every other year until 1987 when no tournament took place, that being the year that Linares hosted the Candidates' Final, a match to determine a challenger for Kasparov's world title featuring Anatoly Karpov and Andrei Sokolov. The postponed 1987 event was deferred to 1988 and the tournament from that point onwards became an annual event, with the exception of 1996, when the Women's World Chess Championship was held. Rentero was a strong opponent of short draws in chess, to the point that he offered cash bonuses for playing longer games. It's said that participants in these so-called "grand master draws" were sometimes penalised by receiving no invitation for the next year's edition. The 1994 tournament had an average Elo rating of 2685, the highest ever at that time. The field, in eventual finishing order, consisted of Karpov, Kasparov, Shirov, Bareev, Kramnik, Lautier, Anand, Kamsky, Topalov, Ivanchuk, Gelfand, Illescas, Judit Polgár, and Beliavsky. Karpov won with an undefeated 11/13. Jeff Sonas considered Karpov's performance the best tournament result in history. The 1994 tournament was also noted for an incident in which Garry Kasparov "took a move back" against Judit Polgár. Kasparov's fingers briefly released a knight before he realized the move was a blunder; he then moved the knight to a different square. Polgár (17 years old at the time) did not protest and the arbiter did not intervene. Kasparov went on to win the game. In 1998, the format of the tournament changed from a single round-robin tournament to a double round-robin event (meaning that each participant plays every other participant twice, once with each colour). Kasparov announced his retirement from chess after the 2005 tournament. From 2006 through 2008, the first half of the tournament took place in the Mexican city of Morelia. The second half took place in Linares. Consequently, the event is sometimes referred to as Morelia-Linares. In 2009 and 2010, the whole event took place in Linares. The Linares tournament of 2011 was cancelled, for reasons including general economic problems. The tournament was cancelled again in 2012, with no return since.

Winners

Only six players won the Linares Tournament multiple times: Garry Kasparov (9 wins), Vassily Ivanchuk (3), Viswanathan Anand (3), Vladimir Kramnik (2), Anatoly Karpov (2), and Larry Christiansen (2).

Full results

1970s

1978

30 November - 8 December 1978 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 01 Jaan Eslon * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 1 6 02 Roberto Luis Debarnot ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 6 03 F. Javier Ochoa ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 5½ 04 Ángel Martín ½ ½ ½ * ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 5 05 Ernesto Palacios ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 4½ 08 Antonio Àngel Medina 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 4½ 07 Orestes Rodríguez 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 4½ 06 Fernando Visier 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ * ½ ½ 0 1 4½ 09 Oscar H. Castro Rojas 1 0 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ * ½ 3½ 10 V. Pacheco 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ * 1 Category: V (2363)

1979

30 November - 11 December 1979 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 01 Larry M. Christiansen * 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 8 02 Viktor Korchnoi 1 * 0 1 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 8 03 Manuel Rivas ½ 1 * 0 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 7½ 04 Oscar Castro 0 0 1 * ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 7½ 05 Jaan Eslon 0 0 1 ½ * ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 5½ 06 Dragutin Sahovic ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 5 07 Drazen Marovic 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 5 08 Ricardo Calvo 0 ½ 0 0 1 0 1 * 0 ½ 1 1 5 09 Evgenij Ermenkov ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ 0 ½ 4½ 10 Milorad Knesevic ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 4 11 Juan Manuel Bellon 0 0 0 0 0 1 ½ 0 1 ½ * ½ 3½ 12 Fernando Visier 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * 3 Category: IX (2459)

1980s

1981

Casa de la Cultura, Linares, Spain, 17–31 January 1981 Age Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 01 Anatoly Karpov 29 2690 * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 8 02 Larry M. Christiansen 24 2515 0 * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 8 03 Bent Larsen 45 2610 ½ ½ * 0 0 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 7 04 Zoltan Ribli 29 2585 ½ ½ 1 * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 0 ½ 6½ 05 Boris Spassky 43 2635 ½ 0 1 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 6 06 Lubomir Kavalek 37 2550 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 6 07 Lajos Portisch 43 2650 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 1 5½ 08 Ljubomir Ljubojevic 30 2605 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ 1 ½ 5 09 Svetozar Gligoric 57 2530 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 * 1 0 1 5 10 Miguel A. Quinteros 33 2505 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 * 1 1 4 11 Juan M. Bellón 29 2415 ½ 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 * 1 3½ 12 Guillermo García 27 2520 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 * 1½ Category: XIII (2568). Chief arbiter: IA José María González.

1983

Casa de Cultura, Linares, Spain, 12–25 February 1983 Age Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 01 Boris Spassky 46 2605 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 6½ 02 Anatoly Karpov 31 2710 ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 6 03 Ulf Andersson 31 2630 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 6 04 Artur Yusupov 23 2565 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 0 5½ 05 Anthony Miles 27 2585 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 5½ 06 Gyula Sax 31 2560 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * 0 1 ½ 1 1 5½ 07 Jan Timman 31 2605 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 * 1 1 ½ 0 5 08 Efim Geller 57 2575 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 * ½ ½ 1 5 09 Vlastimil Hort 39 2585 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 5 10 Yasser Seirawan 22 2600 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ * 1 3 11 Bent Larsen 47 2555 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 * 2 Category: XIV (2598). Chief arbiter: IA José María González.

1985

Pabellón Julián Jiménez, Linares, Spain, 8–22 March 1985 Age Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 01 Ljubomir Ljubojevic 34 2595 * ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 7 02 Robert Hübner 36 2605 ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 7 03 Lajos Portisch 47 2635 ½ ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 6½ 04 Viktor Korchnoi 53 2630 0 0 0 * ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 6½ 05 Boris Spassky 48 2580 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 6 06 Jan Timman 33 2650 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 0 0 1 ½ 5½ 07 Lev Polugaevsky 50 2625 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 5½ 08 Anthony Miles 29 2570 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ 1 1 5½ 09 Manuel Rivas 24 2480 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 * ½ ½ 1 5 10 Larry M. Christiansen 28 2560 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ * 0 ½ 4 11 Rafael Vaganian 33 2640 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 * ½ 4 12 Andras Adorján 34 2565 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ * 3½ Category: XIV (2595). Chief arbiter: Antonio Romero Briones.

1988

1989

1990s

1990

Hotel Anibal, Linares, Spain, 18 February - 3 March 1990 Age Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 01 Kasparov 26 2800 * ½ ½ 1 1 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 8 02 Gelfand 21 2615 ½ * 1 ½ 0 1 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 7½ 03 Salov 25 2645 ½ 0 * ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 7 04 Ivanchuk 20 2665 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 6½ 05 Short 24 2635 0 1 0 ½ * 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 ½ 6 06 Gulko 43 2610 1 0 ½ ½ 0 * ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 5½ 07 Yusupov 30 2615 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 0 ½ 1 5½ 08 Beliavsky 36 2640 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 1 ½ * 1 0 1 ½ 5 09 Spassky 53 2560 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 * 1 ½ ½ 4 10 Illescas 24 2530 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 0 * ½ ½ 4 11 Portisch 52 2605 0 ½ 0 0 1 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ * 1 4 12 Ljubojevic 49 2625 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 * 3

1991

Hotel Anibal, Linares, Spain, 23 February - 14 March 1991 Age Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 01 Ivanchuk 21 2695 * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 9½ 02 Kasparov 27 2800 0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 9 03 Beliavsky 37 2640 ½ 0 * 1 ½ 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 8 04 Yusupov 31 2605 ½ ½ 0 * 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 7½ 05 Speelman 34 2610 ½ ½ ½ 0 * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 7½ 06 Salov 26 2645 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 7 07 Timman 39 2630 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 6½ 08 Karpov 39 2725 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ * 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 6½ 09 Ljubojevic 40 2590 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ 0 0 1 0 6 10 Anand 21 2635 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ * 0 0 ½ 1 6 11 Gurevich 32 2650 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 * 1 ½ 1 6 12 Gelfand 22 2700 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 1 0 * 0 1 5½ 13 Ehlvest 28 2650 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 * 0 3½ 14 Kamsky 16 2640 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 1 0 1 * 2½

1992

! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! Total !! TPR !! Place

1993

! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! Total !! TPR !! Place

1994

! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! Total !! TPR !! Place

1995

! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! Total !! TPR !! Place

1997

! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! Total !! TPR !! Place

1998

Final Results of 1998: ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! Total !! TPR !! Place

1999

Final Results of 1999: ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! Total !! Wins !! TPR

2000s

2000

FIDE World Champion Alexander Khalifman was a late replacement for Alexander Morozevich. Final Results of 2000: ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! Total !! Wins !! W/Black !! TPR

2001

Final Results of 2001: ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! Total !! Wins !! TPR

2002

Final Results of 2002: ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! Total !! TPR

2003

Final Results of 2003: ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! Total !! Wins !! TPR

2004

Final Results of 2004: ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! Total !! Wins !! TPR

2005

Final Results of 2005: ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! Total !! Wins !! W/Black !! TPR

2006

! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! Total !! TPR

2007

! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! Total !! TPR

2008

! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! Total !! TPR 🇨🇷 GM Alejandro Ramírez (2509) won the III Morelia Open tournament.

2009

! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! Total !! Wins !! TPR

2010

! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! Total !! TB !! TPR