Round 9: Maghsoodloo Wins Sharjah Masters Chess

Seventeen-year-old Grandmaster Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran forced a draw with Yuriy Kryvoruchko of Ukraine in the final round to win with an amazing 8 points out of 9 rounds in the 2nd Sharjah Masters Chess Championship at the Sharjah Chess Club in Sharjah, UAE.

The teenage reigning Iranian champion used the Two Knights game and sacrificed a Bishop on the 23rd move to open lines to the White King. The Ukrainian champion, second seeded in the tournament, countered with a Knight sacrifice to break through the center. After a flurry of exchanges, Maghsoodloo seized the half point by a forced repetition of position to draw on the 34th move and ensure his trophy.

Maghsoodloo won the top prize of $15,000. Tied for second slot at 7 points each are defending champion Wang Hao of China and Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan who drew with each other in 31 moves of a Ruy Lopez game. Wang’s only loss was to Maghsoodloo at the halfway 5th round.

Sharing the total $57,000 prize fund in 4th to 12th places with 6.5 points each are GMs Kryvoruchko, S. P. Sethuraman and B.Adhiban of India, Vladislav Artemiev and Ernesto Inarkiev of Russia, Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli of Venezuela, Pavel Eljanov of Ukraine, Arkadij Naidtsch of Azerbaijan and Ahmed Adly of Egypt.

Rinat Jumabayev of Kazakhstan and Sandro Mareco of Argentina also tied with 6.5 points but lost on the tie break to be out of the money prizes.

Most of the leaders drew with each other in the final round but in the decisive games Iturrizaga used the Queen’s Fianchetto defense to checkmate Manuel Petrosyan of Armenia in a marathon 93 moves while Jumabayev used the Queen’s Gambit Declined to beat IM Amin Tabatabaei of Iran in 52 moves.

The tournament was held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and ruler of Sharjah. Visit the official web site at shjchessmasters.com  and chess-results.com for full results and standings.



With the top 3 placers are, from left, Jamal Al Midfaa, General Secretary of Sharjah Chess Club, Sheikh Saud Almuala, Charman of Sharjah Chess Club and Arab Chess Federation, 3rd placer Wang Hao of China, Sheikh Saqer Al Qassimi. Charman of Sharjah Sports Council, Champion Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran, Dr. Sarhan Al Muaini, president of UAE Chess Federation, 2nd placer Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan and Talal Al Zaabi, Deputy President of Sharjah Chess Club. (photo by Adeeb Zehrawi).

With the champion are, from left, Jamal Al Midfaa, General Secretary of Sharjah Chess Club, IA/IO Ragai Al Susi, Sharjah Chess Club Executive Manager, Sheikh Saud Almuala, Charman of Sharjah Chess Club and Arab Chess Federation, Sheikh Saqer Al Qassimi. Charman of Sharjah Sports Council, Champion Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran, Iran Chess Federation president Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh, Dr. Sarhan Al Muaini, president of UAE Chess Federation and Talal Al Zaabi, Deputy President of Sharjah Chess Club. (photo by Adeeb Zehrawi)


GM Yuriy Kryvoruchko of Ukraine (left) vs. Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran

All winners and officials of the 2nd Sharjah Masters Chess Championship.


GM Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran during the 9th round

Round 8: Victory in sight for Maghsoodloo in Sharjah Masters Chess

Seventeen-year-old Grandmaster Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran drew with GM Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan in the 8th round to lead alone with 7.5 points after the penultimate round of the 2nd Sharjah Masters Chess Championship at the Sharjah Chess Club in Sharjah, UAE.

The Iranian used the Reti opening, gained a pawn on the 37th move and drew the minor piece endgame in 71 moves. Maghsoodloo maintained his full point lead going into the last round and is a shoo in for the top prize of $15,000.

Safarli and defending champion GM Wang Hao of China follow with 6.5 points each. Wang used the English Opening and managed to promote his pawn to Queen on the 43rd move and force GM S. P. Sethuraman of India to resign on the 50th move.

Sethuraman and eight others are tied with 6 points each in the race for $57,000 in cash prizes, namely GMs B. Adhiban of India, Arkadi Naiditsch of Azerbaijan, Ernesto Inarkiev and Vladislav Artemiev of Russia, Pavel Eljanov and Yuriy Kryvoruchko of Ukraine, Ahmed Adly of Egypt and Sandro Mareco of Argentina.

In the decisive games, Kryvoruchko essayed the Ruy Lopez to beat GM Prasanna Vishnu of India in 56 moves. Naiditsch beat IM Oliver Dimakiling of the Phlippines in 66 moves of a Four Knights Game. Mareco crushed the King’s Indian defense of GM Gawain Jones of England in a marathon 85 moves. Adly smashed the King’s Indian defense of Vladislav Kovalev of Belarus in 43 moves.

The tournament is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and ruler of Sharjah. Top games are broadcast live. Visit the official web site at shjchessmasters.com  and chess-results.com for full results and standings.


GM Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran (left) drew with GM Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan (photo by Adeeb Zehrawi).

Round 7: Maghsoodloo Maintains Lead in Sharjah Masters Chess

Seventeen-year-old Grandmaster Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran beat GM Gawain Jones of England to maintain his lead with 7 points after 7 rounds in the homestretch of the 2nd Sharjah Masters Chess Championship at the Sharjah Chess Club in Sharjah, UAE.

Maghsoodloo, reigning Iranian champion, used the Sicilian Defense to turn back the 30-year-old former British champion. Maghsoodloo won the exchange on the 34th move and proceeded to weave a mating net with Queen and Rook to force resignation on the 45th move.

GM S.P. Sethuraman of India, 25, beat Arkadij Naiditsch, 32. former German champion now playing for Azerbaijan. The Indian GM essayed the Guioco Piano and gave the exchange sacrifice on the 21st move. He then sacrificed a Bishop and Rook to threaten mate on the 33rd move.

Sethuraman is in second slot with 6 points in a tie with GM Eltaj Safarli, 25, two-time Azerbaijan champion who beat IM Oliver Dimakiling in 33 moves.

Defending champion Wang Hao of China follows with 5.5 points together with GMs B. Adhiban of India, Vladislav Artemiev and Ernest Inarkiev of Russia and Eljanov Pavel of Ukraine.

Wang beat GM Tigran Petrosian of Armenia in 64 moves of a Guico Piano. Adhiban outplayed Amin Bassem, 3-time African champion and 2-time Arab champion, in 55 moves of a Ruy Lopez game. Artemiev used the Colle System to beat Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli of Venezuela in 65 moves. Inarkiev beat Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan in 45 moves of a Scotch Game. Pavel used the Colle System to beat Alireza Firouza of Iran in 46 moves.

Eleven players are tied with 5 points each in the race for over $57,000 in cash prizes, with a top prize of $15,000. The 9-round tournament is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and ruler of Sharjah

Games are scheduled 5:30pm daily except for the last day which starts at 3pm to allow for the closing ceremony after the round. Top games are broadcast live. Visit the official web site at shjchessmasters.com  and chess-results.com for full results and standings.


GM Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran (right) beat GM Gawain Jones of England (photo by Adeeb Zehrawi)

Round 6: Maghsoodloo Grabs Solo Lead in Sharjah Masters Chess

Seventeen-year-old Grandmaster Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran beat erstwhile co-leader S.P. Sethuraman of India to grab solo lead with six points after six rounds of the 2nd Sharjah Masters Chess Championship at the Sharjah Chess Club in Sharjah, UAE.

Maghsoodloo, reigning Iranian champion, used the Reti Opening. He gained a pawn on the 43rd move and forced an exchange of Queens to reach a won King and pawn endgame. Unable to stop promotion, Sethuraman resigned on the 49th move.

Sethuraman is in second slot with 5 points together with GMs Eltaj Safarli and Arkadij Naiditsch of Azerbaijan, Gawain Jones of England and IM Oliver Dimakiling of the Philippines.

Naiditsch crushed the King’s Indian Defense of Vladislav Kovalev of Belarus in 54 moves. Jones outplayed Amin Tabatabaei of Iran in 52 moves of a Ruy Lopez game. Safarli crushed the Sicilian Defense of IM N. R. Vignesh of India in 49 moves. The surprise of the tournament is IM Oliver Dimakiling who used the Petroff Defense to turn back GM Nils Grandelius of Sweden in 56 moves.

Over $57,000 in cash prizes, with a top prize of $15,000, are at stake in the 9-round tournament held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and ruler of Sharjah Games are scheduled 5:30pm daily except for the last day which starts at 3pm to allow for the closing ceremony after the round. Top games are broadcast live. Visit the official web site at shjchessmasters.com  and chess-results.com for full results and standings.


GM Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran (left) beat S.P. Sethuraman of India


Arkadij Naiditsch vs Vladislav Kovalev

Round 5: Sethuraman, Maghsoodloo Tie for Lead in Sharjah Masters Chess

Grandmasters S. P. Sethurman of India and Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran beat their respective opponents to tie for the lead after five rounds of the 2nd Sharjah Masters Chess Championship at the Sharjah Chess Club in Sharjah, UAE.

Sethuraman, 25, Asian Continental champion in 2016, crushed the French Defense of two-time Azerbaijan champion GM Eltaj Safarli in 47 moves. The Indian GM played aggressively, castling on opposite wings and unleashing a kingside pawn storm to reach the seventh rank and threaten promotion.

Maghsoodloo, 17, reigning Iranian champion, used the King’s Indian Defense to outplay top seed GM Wang Hao of China. The Iranian weaved a mating net in the endgame with Rook, Knight and Bishop to force resignation in 60 moves.

Safarli and 14 others trail a full point behind. Tied with 4 points each are B. Adhiban, N.R. Vignesh and WGM Soumya Swaminathan of India, Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli of Venezuela, Vladislav Kovalev of Belarus, Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan, Ernesto Inarkiev of Russia, Arkadij Naiditsch of Azerbaijan, Tigran Petrosian of Armenia, Pavel Eljanov of Ukarine, Nils Grandelius of Sweden, Gawain Jones of England, Amin Tabatabei of Iran and Oliver Dimakiling of the Philippines.

Wang and 13 others trail behind with 3.5 points each. A total of 118 players from 26 countries are seeing action including 31 Grandmasters and 14 International Masters, 2 Woman Grandmasters, 3 Woman International Masters and 10 FIDE Masters.

Over $57,000 in cash prizes, with a top prize of $15,000, are at stake in the 9-round tournament held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and ruler of Sharjah

Games are scheduled 5:30pm daily except for the last day which starts at 3pm to allow for the closing ceremony after the round. Top games are broadcast live. Visit the official web site at shjchessmasters.com  and chess-results.com for full results and standings.



GM S.P.Sethuraman of India (left) vs. GM Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan (photo by Adeeb Zehrawi)

Rounds 3 & 4: Three Tie For Lead in Sharjah Masters Chess

Grandmasters S. P. Sethurman of India, Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan and Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran share the lead after four rounds of the 2nd Sharjah Masters Chess Championship at the Sharjah Chess Club in Sharjah, UAE.

Sethuraman, 25, beat compatriots GM Abhimanyu Puranik in the other day’s morning round and then checkmated GM Prasanna Vishnu in the afternoon to tally 4 points out of as many rounds. Sethuraman was Asian Continental champion in 2016.

Sarfli, 25, two-time Azerbaijan champion, beat FM Arjun Enigaisi of India in round 3 and outmaneuvered GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan in 41 moves of a Ruy Lopez in round 4 to tie for the lead.

Maghsoodloo, 17, reigning Iranian champion, ended the winning streak of woman giant killer Nutakki Priyanka of India then beat GM Vladislav Artemiev of Russia to keep pace with the lead pack.

Top seed Wang Hao of China and Eduardo Iturrizaga Benelli of Venezuela drew with each other to trail a half point behind the leaders with 3.5 points together with GMs B. Adhiban of India, Vladislav Kovalev of Belarus, Tigran Petrosian of Armenia, Nils Grandlius of Sweden and Pavel Eljanov of Ukraine.

A total of 118 players from 26 countries are seeing action including 31 Grandmasters and 14 International Masters, 2 Woman Grandmasters, 3 Woman International Masters and 10 FIDE Masters.

Over $57,000 in cash prizes, with a top prize of $15,000, are at stake in the 9-round tournament held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and ruler of Sharjah

Games are scheduled 5:30pm daily except for the last day which starts at 3pm to allow for the closing ceremony after the round. Top games are broadcast live. Visit the official web site at shjchessmasters.com  and chess-results.com for full results and standings.



Sheikh Saud Almuala (left), Charman of the Sharjah Chess Club and Arab Chess Federation, and Hussein Khouri, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Chess Club, watch top board matches of, seated from left, GM Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli of Venezuela, Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran and Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan. (photo by Adeeb Zehrawi)

Round 2: Sharjah Masters Chess

Seven Indian players form the biggest group of players sharing early lead in the 2nd Sharjah Masters Chess Championship at the Sharjah Chess Club in Sharjah, UAE. Tied with 2 points each after two rounds are Grandmasters S.P. Sethuraman, S.L. Narayanan, Prasanna Vishnu, Abhmanyu Puranik and International Masters Arjun Engaisi and N.R. Vignesh. Untitled woman Nutakki Priyanka, the giant killer of India, seeded 93rd with a low rating of 1957, upset compatriot GM Shardul Gagare, rated 2502, in 69 moves of the latter’s English opening. In the previous round one, Priyanka upset GM Mohamed Haddouche of Algeria.

Defending champion GM Wang Hao of China beat GM Efstratios Grivas of Greece to bolster his title defense. Wang, 29, former Chinese national champion, turned back the English opening of Grivas in 43 moves. Wang won the inaugural event last year and is heavily favored as the top seed with a rating of 2707.

Tied with 2 points each are Grandmasters Yuriy Kryvoruchko and Martyn Kravtsiv of Ukraine, Vladislav Artemiev and Ernesto Inarkiev of Russia, Arkadij Naiditsch and Eltaj Saffarli of Azerbaijan, Vladislav Kovalev of Belarus, , Rinat Jumabayev of Kazakhstan, Parham Maghsoodloo and Alireza Firouzja of Iran, Manuel and Tigran Petrosyan of Armenia, Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Nodirbek Yakubboev of Uzbekistan and Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli of Venezuela.

A total of 118 players from 26 countries are seeing action including 31 Grandmasters and 14 International Masters, 2 Woman Grandmasters, 3 Woman International Masters and 10 FIDE Masters.

Over $57,000 in cash prizes, with a top prize of $15,000, are at stake in the 9-round tournament held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and ruler of Sharjah

Games are scheduled 5:30pm daily except for the last day which starts at 3pm to allow for the closing ceremony after the round. Top games are broadcast live. Visit the official web site at shjchessmasters.com  and chess-results.com for full results and standings.



GM S.P. Sethuraman of India


GM Wang Hao (right) beat GM Efstratios Grivas of Greece


View of top boards (photo by Adeeb Zehrawi)

Round 1: Sharjah Masters Chess

Defending champion GM Wang Hao of China and favored Grandmasters won as expected in the opening round of the 2nd Sharjah Masters Chess Championship at the Sharjah Chess Club in Sharjah, UAE.

Wang crushed the Caro Kann defense of Nehad Nyaz of Egypt in 30 moves. The Chinese GM is the defending champion. He won the inaugural event last year in a tie with local hero GM Salem A.R. Saleh of the UAE and four others when Wang prevailed in the tie break.

Other top GMs who won the first round are Yuriy Kryvoruchko, Pavel Eljanov of and Martyn Kravtsiv of Ukraine, Vlsdislav Artemiev and Ernesto Inarkiev of Russia, Arkadiuj Naditsch and Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan, Gawain Jones of England, Vladislav Kovalev of Belarus, S.P. Sethuraman, B. Adhiban and S.L. Narayanan of India, Adly Ahmed of Egypt, Parham Maghsoodloo and Pouria Darini of Iran, Rinat Jumabayev of Kazakhstan, Manuel Petrosyan of Armenia and Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan.

However, lowly rated (1957) Indian amateur Priyanka Nutakki, 16, upset GM Mohamed Hadouche of Algeria, rated 2506, in a marathon 89 moves of a Guioco Piano game to join the lead pack of 60 players.

A total of 118 players from 26 countries are seeing action including 31 Grandmasters and 14 International Masters, 2 Woman Grandmasters, 3 Woman International Masters and 10 FIDE Masters.

Over $57,000 in cash prizes, with a top prize of $15,000, are at stake in the 9-round tournament held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and ruler of Sharjah

Games are scheduled 5:30pm daily except for Saturday when two rounds are scheduled for 10am and 6 pm. Last round starts at 3pm followed by the closing ceremony. Top games are broadcast live. Visit the official web site at shjchessmasters.com  and chess-results.com for full results and standings.



On top board with GM Wang Hao (left). Looking on are, from left, Aziz Alnoman General Secretary of Sharjah Sports Council, Omran Abdullah, Deputy President of Sharjah Chess Club, Dr. Rashad Salem, Manager of Al Qassimiya Univercity, Sheikh Saud Almuala, Charman Sharjah Chess Club and Arab Chess Federation. Sheikh Saqer Al Qassimi. Charman of Sharjah Sports Council, Khalid Al Midfaa, Assistant General Secretary of the UAE Sports Authority, Husain Al Shamisi, General Secretary for Arab and UAE Chess Federation, Talal Al Zaabi, Deputy President of Sharjah Chess Club and Jamal Al Midfaa, General Secretary of Sharjah Chess Club.