Carlsen and the last game curse

Although he seems in top shape and, inter alia, managed to even win against world champ Vishy Anand both at the Linares and at the Amber (Blindfold) tournaments (through wonderful games)…, there is definitely something wrong with Magnus Carlsen and the final games of most recent chess tournaments he has been participating in– which is probably more frustrating to his fans than to himself, it seems, given he continues on the same frequence :-).
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And there was Alicante

… and with that also my very first time in Spain (though, with Seville and Barcelona to follow within the next few months, this will definitely be my ‘Spanish year’). The ‘city of lights’ was ultimately a pleasant surprise, although, to start with the lows, I thought it was already too hot for this time of the year–however, evenings were perfect–, the architecture of the city is really not my very favourite (I recall here an earlier post of Andy on Alacant–he was way more negative on the city looks— while I think there are also some nice spots), and if you happen to stay in one of the fancy hotels next to the Casino, the music/noise will not stop until 4:30 AM, only to restart at 7:30 AM with the hyperactive hotel housekeeping ladies… :-).
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