The Leon Masters 2016 was held from 10th June to 12th June in Leon, Spain. This unique rapid event saw four players, of varied strengths, fight it out in a knockout format. Former World Champion Vishy Anand, who was also the chief attraction of this event, overcame the young opposition and won the tournament, adding yet another feather to his cap.
In the first round, which was labelled the ‘Semi Final’, Anand faced a tough challenge from young Spanish star GM Anton Guijjaro David. The first game was drawn. While Anand won the second game, Anton struck back immediately in the third. In the fourth and final game of the mini match, Anand recorded a crucial victory, thus making his way into the finals.
On the other hand, Chinese sensation GM Wei Yi was made to fight hard by Spanish IM Santos Latasa Jaime, despite a significant difference in their ratings. Wei Yi edged out Santos by the smallest of margins, winning one and drawing three.
The stage was set for an epic finale, featuring 46-year-old Anand and 17-year-old Wei Yi. Anand drew the first blood in the very first game of the match. However, the Chinese Grandmaster was unable to strike back and all the remaining three games were drawn. As such, Vishy clinched the final match by a 2.5-1.5 scoreline, winning yet another event in the city of Leon.