International Chess has featured a series of tournaments in which the world’s leading Grandmasters, players such as Carlsen, World Champion Anand, Ivanchuk, Kramnik, Aronian and Nakamura are continually confronting each other in something resembling a traveling circus, almost making the World Championship a secondary event. The Grand Slam Chess Association has provided such a series of tournaments. With the great Linares tournament canceled for financial problems, the combination of the Bazna King’s, Tata Steel and Pearl Spring tournaments establish entrants for the Grand Slam Final. This year, Magnus Carlsen won the Final on tiebreak over Vasily Ivanchuck.