Topalov Wins Linares!
An enthralling last round at Linares 2010 saw Veselin Topalov (pictured) take the title with a last round victory against Boris Gelfand.
Topalov tried hard to create chances against Gelfand's Petroff defence, but the Israeli seemed to have good chances for a draw. However, a complicated rook ending turned sour for Gelfand and suddenly Topalov had the win he needed after Grischuk had earlier drawn with Vallejo.
Another decisive game in the last round occured when Lev Aronian managed to end his 9 game drawing streak against Gashimov, earning himself third place in the process.
Despite winning the tournament, Topalov narrowly misses out on overtaking Magnus Carlsen's #1 rating, and will have to content himself with #2 for the moment on the live rating list. Still, he may have the last laugh in his world championship match with Anand in April.
The final standings at Linares 2010:
| 1 | Topalov, Veselin | BUL | 2805 |
* | * | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 6½ |
| 2 | Grischuk, Alexander | RUS | 2736 |
0 | 1 | * | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 6 |
| 3 | Aronian, Levon | ARM | 2781 |
½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5½ |
| 4 | Vallejo Pons, Francisco | ESP | 2705 |
½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | * | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 4 |
| 5 | Gelfand, Boris | ISR | 2761 |
½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | * | ½ | ½ | 4 |
| 6 | Gashimov, Vugar | AZE | 2759 |
0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | * | 4 |
