As one of the most prominent features of the Tradewise Chess Festival, the Master Class, held late last week, was hosted by World’s no. 4 rank Veselin Topalov. Topalov presented a strategic game he won against Latvian grandmaster Alexy Shirov on 2004.

Taking questions from the audience afterwards, Veselin spoke on a wide range of chess subjects, including highlights of his career, and his feelings on trying to challenge one more time for the World Championship.

Explaining that he studies chess less than he used to, he was surprised that his rating had recently climbed, and he modestly suggested that he wasn't a clear favourite to win this event.

Veselin's Masterclass was broadcast live on the internet. All Masterclasses can be watched on the official festival website:  www.gibraltarchesscongress.com and Topalov's Masterclass has already received some 12,000 views.