Jon Ludvig Hammer who beat Magnus Carlsen in Norway Chess lately will return to the 45th Rilton Cup Chess Festival in Stockholm and hunt for his third title in a row. No one has managed that in Rilton´s 45 year long history. Best so far is Radoslaw Wоjtaszek with two wins 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 and a 2nd place 2009/2010.
The 45th edition of the prestigious tournament will take place from 27th December, 2015 to 5th January, 2016, in Clarion Hotel Stockholm. For more information and registration visit the official website or send an email to stockholms.schackfrbund@telia.com
You can find a brief interview with Jon Hammer and the full list of Rilton Cup winners so far below.
Christmas and New Year at Hotel Clarion Stockholm has become ”Hammertime” the last years. What speaks for you to succeed take third straight title in Rilton Cup?
JLH: I feel I’m getting better year by year. Your win against Magnus Carlsen in Norway Chess made headlines in the world of chess.
How were your feelings immediately after the game? And now some weeks afterwards. What does the victory against Carlsen mean to you?
JLH: It’s always fun to beat the world champion, and it was especially exciting to get to do it at home ground. Rilton is a long and grueling tournament.
Do you get some assistance between rounds? By Carlsen maybe?
JLH: I get along fine on my own, but the training sessions with Team Carlsen before the two World Cup matches have helped me of course.
Finally, what do you think it is that makes you so successful in Rilton Cup ?
JLH: There is no guarantee of success, but of course it helps to feel comfortable in a particular place with good memories from previous years.
Rilton Cup winners:
1971/1972 IM Jan Timman
1972/1973 IM Jan Timman
1973/1974 GM Istvan Bilek
1974/1975 IM Heikki Westerinen
1975/1976 Börje Jansson
1976/1977 GM Sergio Mariotti
1977/1978 Börje Jansson
1978/1979 IM Harry Schüssler
1979/1980 IM Konstnaty Kaizauri
1980/1981 IM Axel Ornstein
1981/1982 IM Lars-Åke Schneider
1982/1983 IM Ralf Åkesson
1983/1984 IM Axel Ornstein
1984/1985 Caspar Carleson
1985/1986 IM Michael Wiedenkeller
1987/1988 GM Michail Gurevitj
1988/1989 Ilja Smirin
1989/1990 IM Tom Wedberg
1990/1991 GM Aleksej Vyzjamanavin
1991/1992 GM Margeir Petursson
1992/1993 GM Andrej Charlov
1993/1994 GM Lars Bo Hansen
1994/1995 GM Michail Krasenkov
1995/1996 GM Michail Krasenkov
1996/1997 GM Joel Benjamin
1997/1998 GM Igor Chenkin
1998/1999 GM Mikhail Ulibin
1999/2000 GM Sergey Ivanov
2000/2001 GM Jurij Jakovitj
2001/2002 GM Evgenij Agrest
2002/2003 IM Jonas Barkhagen
2003/2004 GM Ralf Åkesson
2004/2005 GM Sergey Volkov
2005/2006 GM Eduardas Rozentalis
2006/2007 GM Tobert Fontaine
2007/2008 GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek
2008/2009 GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek
2009/2010 GM Eduardas Rozentalis
2010/2011 GM Sergey Volkov
2011/2012 GM Aleksandr Shimanov
2012/2013 GM Michal Krasenkow
2013/2014 GM Jon Ludvig Hammer
2014/2015 GM Jon Ludvig Hammer