No More Mainz, What About Linares?

The news out of Mainz isn't good: Chess Classic Mainz – Ende einer Ära (Chesstigers.de). If your German is as bad as mine, or nonexistent, there's an English equivalent at Chess Classic Mainz - End of an Era after 17 editions (Chessdom.com).

A decade full of dedication and passion for international rapid chess has come to an end in Mainz. A splendid decade from 2001 to 2010 with ground-breaking innovations in tournament organization for world class players and amateurs alike and the "Mainz System" Chess960, based on the ideas of the American World Champion Robert James "Bobby" Fischer, made the distinction between the Chess Classic and other classical tournaments.

And what about the Linares supertournament, a Grand Slam event normally held in February? A Q&A near the end of 2011 Tata Steel Chess Tournament: final press conference (Youtube.com, @11:55), informs,

Q: Can you tell me about other tournaments in the Grand Slam? • A: [Wijk aan Zee TD Jeroen van den Berg:] Yesterday we had a meeting and so far I have understood that the chances for Sofia [Mtel] are almost zero at the moment. It will not be held, so Bazna will be part of the Grand Slam tour this year, like last year. The situation with Linares is unclear due to the elections in May. I don't have inside information, but it's not yet clear when and where it's going to be held, in Linares or in another part, so you should find other sources. Nanjing is guaranteed, but we already had that tournament in the Grand Slam cycle, won by Carlsen. Now [Nakamura] will get the invitation. Bilbao is also on in September.

There is no further info on the official site for Bilbao Final Masters 2011, but maybe they'll get around to it one of these days.