GM Salem A.R. Saleh of the UAE won the Al Ain Rapid Chess Championship yesterday at the Hili Rotana hotel in Al Ain, undefeated with 6 points out of 7 rounds. Seventy players from 17 countries including 25 Grandmasters took part in the one day precursor to the Al Ain Classic Chess Championship.

Salem beat Vugar Asadli of Azerbaijan, Armenians FM Manuel Petrosyan, GM Arman Pashikian and GM Samuel Ter-Sahakyan, GM Rauf Mamedov of Azerbaijan and drew with GM Yuriy Kryvoruchko of Ukraine and GM Mikheil Mchedlishvili of Georgia.

After his fourth round loss to Salem, GM Ter-Sahakyan caught up to tie with 6 points for second place as Salem emerged first in the tie break. GM Kryvoruchko finished in third place with 5.5 points ahead by tie break over Mchedlishvili and GM Levon Babujian of Armenia who both scored 5.5 points each.

Seven players followed with five points each. Finishing in tie break order were GM Miknailo Oleksienko of Ukraine in 6th place followed by Marin Kravtsiv, also of Ukraine, GM Viktor Moskalenko of Spain, GM Alexander Kovchan of Ukraine, GM Arman Pashikian of Armenia and IM Amierreza Pourrameezanali of Iran.

Mokal Amruta Sunil of India won the award for best woman player while IM Omar Noaman received the prize for Emirati player and FM Mayed Alrashedi won best Al Ain player award.

Visit chess-results.com for Al Ain Rapid Chess results and standings and to download games. 

More players are expected to arrive on time for the Al Ain Chess Classic also at the Hili Rotana hotel. At stake are some $50,000 in cash prizes with a top prize of $11,000 and various category prizes. The standard time control event shall be conducted as a 9-round Swiss System. Two rounds are scheduled on Saturday at 10 am and 5 pm. From Sunday games start 4 pm daily except for the last round which starts 2 pm. All games shall be broadcast live at the alainchess.com web site with photo gallery.

Organizing Committee head Dr. Saif Al Nuaimi (left) awarding prizes to the winners of the Al Ain Rapid Championship, from left, runner-up Ter-Sahakyan Samuel, champion Salem A.R. Saleh of the UAE, third placer Kryvoruchko Yuriy, Tournament Director International Organizer Tarek Al Taher, Chief Arbiter Ashot Vardapetian. In front row are, from left, best woman awardee Mokal Amruta Sunil, Mchedlishvili Mikheil, Oleksienko Mikhailo, Kravtsiv Martyn, Kovchan Alexander and Moskalenko Viktor.

Organizing Committee head Dr. Saif Al Nuaimi makes the ceremonial move assisted by Tournament Director International Organizer Tarek Al Taher on the top board game between top seed GM Rauf Mamedov of Azerbaijan (right) and CM Puranik Abhimanyu of India.

Strong Field in Al Ain Chess Classic

A stellar field of 45 top ranked Grandmasters and 14 International Masters head the list of 153 players from 26 countries seeing action in the $50,000 Al Ain Classic Chess Championship from 19 to 26 December at the Hili Rotana hotel in Al Ain.

GM Yuri Kuzubov of Ukraine is top seed in the tournament which boasts 17 players in the high rating category above 2600, namely Ukrainians Yuriy Kryvoruchko, Alexander Areshchenko, Mikhailo Oleksienko, Evgenij Miroshnichenko and Vladimir Onischuk, Belarussian Sergei Zhigalko, Armenians Tigran L. Petrosian and Arman Pashikian, Ivan Sokolov of the Netherlands, Samuel Shankland of the USA, Constantin Lupulescu of Romania, Mikheil Mchedlishvili of Georgia and Viorel Iordachescu of Moldova.

Aside from the host country, the largest contingent is from India with 33 players followed by Azerbaijan with 22 players. National team member GM Rauf Mamedov heads the Azerbaijan delegation while GM Aghijeet Gupta and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi spearhead the Indian contingent. The tournament will be a 9-round Swiss System. Round 1 hostilities start 6pm tomorrow, 19 Dec. Two rounds are scheduled 10am and 5pm on Saturday followed by daily rounds starting 4pm. The last 9th round starts 2pm on Friday, 26 Dec. Games shall be broadcast live on the web. At stake are some US$50,000 for the first 20 places with a top prize of $11,000 for the champion and various category prizes.


Al Ain Chess Club President Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan (second from left) giving a press conference yesterday at the Hili Rotana hotel. In photo are, from left, Dr. Rashed Al Dhaheri, chairman of the UAE Chess Federation Constitutional Commission, Sheikh Sultan, Dr. Saif Al Nuaimi, General Secretary of the Al Ain Chess Club and Engr. Sultan Al Yabhoni, Deputy President of the Al Ain Chess Club.