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Georgian GM Gaoiz Nigalidze, 25, beat compatriot Mikheil Mchedlishvili in the final round to win by tie break over three others and clinch the $11,000 top prize in the Al Ain Classic Chess Championship at the Hili Rayhaan Rotana Hotel in Al Ain.
Nigalidze finished with 7 points together with GM Tigran Petrosian of Armenia, Vladimir Onischuk of Ukraine and Sergei Zhigalko of Belarus. Petrosian used the Pirc Defense to hold co-leader Onischuk to a draw by stalemate in 60 moves and finish in second and third places, respectively. Zhigalko won a King and pawn endgame in 47 moves over GM Chanda Sandipan of India to place fourth.
Eight players scored 6.5 points each to tie for 5th to 12th places, namely, in order of finish, Yuriy Kryvoruchko and Alexander Areshchenko of Ukraine, Abhijeet Gupta and Vidit Santos Gujrathi of India, Mikhailo Oleksienko of Ukraine, Mircea-Emilian Parligras of Romania, and Samuel Ter-Sahakyan and Arman Pashikian of Armenia.
Tied with 6 points each and landing in the top 20 places for a share of the $50,000 in cash prizes were, in order of finish, Yuriy Kuzubov of Ukraine, Sahaj Grover of India, Samuel Snahkland of the USA, Nijat Abasov of Azerbaijan, Sandipan, Alexander Kovchan of Ukraine, Sergei Volkov of Russia and Mchedlishvili.
Seven other players tied at 6 points but lost out in the tie break to miss the money prizes, namely G. N. Gopal and Ankit Rajpara of India, Ulvi Bajarani of Azerbaijan, Viktor Moskalenko of Spain, Mahmod Lodhi of Pakistan, Rauf Mamedov of Azerbaijan and Manuel Petrosyan of Armenia. By regulations, cash prizes are not shared among tied players but divided by tie break.
GM Gaoiz Nigalidze receives the champion’s trophy from Al Ain Chess Club president Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan assisted by organizing committee chairman Dr. Saif Al Nuaimi (left) and tournament director Tarek Al Taher (right).
Round 8
GM Tigran L. Petrosian of Armenia beat erstwhile sole leader Gaioz Nigalidze of Georgia in the penultimate round to force a two way tie for the lead with Vladimir Onischuk of Ukraine in the Al Ain Classic Chess Championship at the Hili Reyhaan Rotana hotel in Al Ain.
Petrosian, 30, used the English Opening and gained the advantage of Bishop for Knight in the endgame. The Armenian was threatening to Queen a passed pawn when Nigalidze resigned in a marathon 91 moves after five and a half hours of play.
The win gave Petrosian 6.5 points in a tie with Onischuk. The two leaders face each other in the decisive final round for the top prize of $11,000 in a total of $50,000. Onischuk crushed the French Defense of Russian Sergey Volkov. After gaining two pieces for a Rook, the Ukrainian advanced his center pawns and weaved a mating net to force Volkov to resign on the 37th move.
Nigalidze dropped to a share of third to tenth slots at 6 points each together with 19-year-old Vidit Santosh Gujrathi and Chanda Sandipan, both of India, Sergei Zhigalko of Belarus, Mikheil Mchedlishvili of Georgia and Ukrainians Yuriy Kryvoruchko, Mikhailo Oleksienko and Alexander Areshchenko.
Gujrathi, who hails from Nasik in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, smashed the French Defense of compatriot Deep Sengupta in 63 moves. Sandipan needed only 31 moves to crush the Nimzo-Indian Defense of Prasanna Vishnu of India. It was a bad day for Indian players as Areshchenko beat Sahaj Grover of India in 55 moves of a Ruy Lopez game and Mchedlishvili used the English Opening to outplay G.N. Gopal of India in 45 moves. Oleksienko used the Dutch Defense to beat Levon Babujan of Armenia in 52 moves. The game between Kryvoruchko and Zhigalko was a draw in 43 moves of a Closed Ruy Lopez game.
Fourteen players follow with 5.5 points each in the race for cash prizes for the first 20 places. In 11th to 24th slots are Volkov, Armenians Hovik Hayrapetyan, Arman Pashikian and Samuel Ter-Sahakyan, Nijat Abasov of Azerbaijan, Vadim Malakhatko of Belgium, Luka Paichadze of Georgia, Sahaj Grover and Abhijeet Gupta of India, Atousa Pourkashiyan of Iran, Mahmood Lodhi of Pakistan, Mircea Emilian Parligras of Romania, Yuriy Kyuzubov and Samuel Shankland of the USA.
Games are broadcast at the alainchess.com web site with Youtube video commentary for Alain Chess Classic channel and results and standings in chess-results.com.
GM Tigran Petrosian of Armenia (left) vs GM Gaioz Nigalidze of Georgia
Youthful GM Vidit Santosh Gujrathi of India
Round 7
Georgian GM Gaioz Nigalidze drew with top seed Yuriy Kryvoruchko of Ukraine in the 7th round to maintain sole lead with two rounds remaining in the Al Ain Chess Classic at the Hili Rayhaan Rotana hotel in Al Ain.
Nigalidze drew in 34 moves of a Queen’s Indian Defense by Kryvoruchko to tally 6 points, a half point ahead of six others. Kryvoruchko has 5.5 points together with youthful Indian GM Sahaj Grover, Tigran L. Petrosian of Armenia, Sergey Volkov of Russia, Vladimir Onischuk of Ukraine and Sergei Zhigalko of Belarus. The 19-year-old Grover from Delhi beat Evgeny Miroshnichenko of Ukraine in 36 moves of an English Opening. Petrosian used the Pirc Defense to outmaneuver Alexander Kovchan of Ukraine in a marathon 69 moves of a minor piece endgame. Volkov smashed the Nimzo Indian Defense of Arun Prasad of India to join the leaders. Onischuk used the Budapest Defense to draw with Zhigalko and tie at 5.5 points each.
Sixteen players are bunched together at 5 points each including five Indian players, namely Deep Sengupta, G. N. Gopal, Vidit Santosh Gujrathi, Chanda Sandipan and Prasankna Vishnu. Keeping pace are Levon Babujan and Arman Pashikian of Armenia, Nijat Abasov of Azerbaijan, Vadim Malakhatko of Belgium, Luka Paichadze and Mikheil Mchedlishvili of Georgia, Mircea Emilian Parligras of Romania, Ukrainians Yuriy Kuzubov, Mikhailo Oleksienko and Alexander Areshchenko and Samuel Shankland of the USA.
Eighteen players trail with 4.5 points each with slim chances of landing in the money prizes for the first 20 places. At stake is a total of $50,000 with a top prize of $11,000 and various category prizes.
The 9-round Swiss System tournament is organized by the Al Ain Chess Club with a strong field of 150 players including 43 Grandmasters, 9 Woman Grandmasters and 14 International Masters from 27 countries. Aside from the host country, India has the largest delegation with 31 players followed by Azerbaijan with 23, and Ukraine and Iran with 11 players each.
Games are broadcast live at the alainchess.com web site with Youtube video commentary for Alain Chess Classic channel and results and standings in chess-results.com. The last round starts 2pm on Friday, 26th December with closing ceremony at 9pm.
A young Emirati watches the top board game between Georgian GM Gaioz Nigalidze (left) and Yuriy Kryvoruchko of Ukraine.
Indian GM G.N. Gopal (left) vs. Alexander Areshchenko of Ukraine
Round 6
Georgian GM Gaioz Nigalidze beat second ranked GM Yuriy Kuzubov of Ukraine to maintain solo lead with 5.5 points after 6 rounds in the homestretch of the Al Ain Chess Classic at the Hili Rayahaan Rotana hotel in Al Ain.
Nigalidze, ranked 28th in the tournament with a rating of 2536, showed no fear with the black pieces against Kuzubov, seeded second with a rating of 2681. The Georgian used the Sicilian Najdorf Defense and made a positional sacrifice as early the 13th move by giving a Knight in exchange for two central pawns. Kuzubov was forced to return the extra piece on the 38th move as Nigalidze advanced his pawns to threaten promotion and force Kuzubov to resign on the 65th move.
“I had to sacrifice the Knight as he was building a clear advantage,” the two-time national champion of Georgia said in the post-game analysis. The tournament has a world class video commentary on youtube aside from live internet broadcast of the games on the alainchess.com web site. Three players follow a half point behind at 5 points each, namely, top seed Yuriy Kryvoruchko and Vladimir Onischuk of Ukraine and Sergei Zhigalko of Belarus.
Kryvoruchko beat compatriot Martin Kravtsiv while Onischuk crushed the Ruy Lopez Berlin Defence of Romanian Mircea Emilian Parligras in 34 moves. Zhigalko used the Nimzo Indian Defense to beat Levon Babujan of Armenia in 49 moves. In the critical 7th round among the leaders, Nigalidze faces top seed Kryvoruchko while Zhigalko matches with Onischuk.
Seven Indian players are among 17 others trailing with 4.5 points each in the race for $50,000 in cash prizes, namely Tejas Bakre, Arun Prasad, Sahaj Grover, Deep Sengupta, G.N. Gopal, Chanda Sandipan and Santosh Gujrathi Vidit of India, four Ukrainians, namely Alexander Kovchan, Evgenij Miroshnichenko, Mikhailo Oleksienko and Alexander Areshchenko, Tigran L. Petrosian of Armenia, Nijat Abasov of Azerbaijan, Vadim Malakhatko of Belgium, Luka Paichadze of Georgia, Sergey Volkov of Russia and Samuel Shankland of the USA.
The 9-round Swiss System tournament is organized by the Al Ain Chess Club with a strong field of 150 players including 43 Grandmasters, 9 Woman Grandmasters and 14 International Masters from 27 countries. Aside from the host country, India has the largest delegation with 31 players followed by Azerbaijan with 23, and Ukraine and Iran with 11 each.
Top board action between Yuriy Kuzubov of Ukraine (left) and Gaoiz Nigalidze of Georgia
GM Chanda Sandipan of India
GM Sahaj Grover of India
GM Gaoiz Nigalidze of Georgia
Round 5
GM Gaioz Nigalidze of Georgia, 25, grabbed solo lead with 4.5 points in the Al Ain Classic Chess Championship at the Hili Rotana in Al Ain. Nigalidze, last year’s Georgian national champion, turned back the Queen’s Gambit of Indian GM Abhijeet Gupta as other leaders drew their fifth round games to allow the Georgian to surge ahead alone at the halfway mark of the 9-round Swiss System event.
Fifteen players are a half point behind at 4 points each, namely top seed Yuriy Kryvoruchko, Yuriy Kuzubov, Mikhailo Oleksienko, Vladimir Onischuk, Alexander Kovchan and Martyn Kravtsiv of Ukraine, Indian GMs G.N.Gopal, Chanda Sandipan and Deep Sengupta, Sergei Zhigalko of Belarus, Tigran Petrosian and Levon Babujian of Armenia, Samuel Shankland of the USA, Russian Sergey Volkov and Romanian Mircea-Emilian Parligras. There were five decisive games in the lead pack. Sandipan beat Ulvi Bajarani of Azerbaijan in a marathon 78 moves of a Ruy Lopez game. Volkov crushed the Slav Defense of IM Zaur Mammadov of Azerbaijan in 45 moves. Kravtsiv beat back GM Sundar Shyam of India in 33 moves of another Ruy Lopez game. Parligras smashed the Bogo-Indian Defense of untitled player Shah Sagar of India with a mating net in 33 moves. Babujan used the Modern Benoni defense against Andrey Baryshpolets of Ukraine to win material and force resignation on the 30th move.
The other top matches were drawn. Compatriots Kryvoruchko and Onischuk drew in 30 moves of a Caro Kann Defense. Kuzubov used the Sicilian Defense and drew with Gopal in 44 moves. Sengupta used the French Defense and drew with Zhigalko in 38 moves. Petrosian used the Dutch Defense to draw with Oleksienko in a marathon 73 moves.
Kovchan and Shankland drew after the requisite 27 moves of a Four Knights Game. According to regulations, draw offers are not allowed before 25 moves.
Twenty two players are in striking distance at 3.5 points each in the race for a total of $50,000 in cash prizes in the tournament organized by the Al Ain Chess Club. A strong field of 150 players including 43 Grandmasters, 9 Woman Grandmasters and 14 International Masters have come from 27 countries. Aside from the host country, India has the largest delegation with 31 players followed by Azerbaijan with 23, and Ukraine and Iran with 11 each.
Games start 4pm and are broadcast live at the alainchess.com web site with Youtube video commentary for Alain Chess Classic channel and results and standings in chess-results.com.
Action between top seed Yuriy Kryvoruchko of Ukraine (left) and compatriot Vladimir Onishuk
Solo leader GM Gaioz Nigalidze of Georgia
Round 4
Indian Grandmasters caught up with seeded players for the lead with 3.5 points after four rounds of the Al Ain Chess Classic at the Hili Rotana hotel in Al Ain.
Abhijeet Gupta from Bhilwara, G.N. Gopal of Kerala, both 25 years old, and Deep Sengupta from Jharkand, 26, beat their respective opponents to join a 12-way tie. Gupta crushed the Budapest Gambit of GM Viktor Moskalenko of Spain in 41 moves. Sengupta beat GM Arman Pashikian of Armenia in a marathon 79 move Rook and Pawn endgame. Gopal needed only 29 moves to crush the Caro Kann defense of compatriot IM Shardul Gagare.
The round 4 victors caught up with top seed Yuriy Kryvoruchko of Ukraine who was held to a draw by GM Tigran Petrosian of Armenia in a marathon 71 moves. The two are tied with 3.5 points together with GMs Yuriy Kuzubov, Alexander Kovchan, Mikhailo Oleksienko and Vladimir Onischuk of Ukraine, Sergei Zhigalko of Belarus, Gaioz Nigalidze of Georgia and Samuel Shankland of the USA.
Shankland smashed the French Defense of Ulvi Bajarani of Azerbaijan in only 21 moves. Onischuk outmaneuvered the French Defense of Sahaj Grover of India in 43 moves. Kovchan used the Center Counter Defense to turn back WGM Gulnar Mammadova of Azerbaijan in 48 moves. The other encounters among the leaders were draws between Kuzubov and Oleksienko in a 72 move Rook and pawn endgame and between Nigalidze and Zhigalko in 73 moves of an English Opening.
Twenty players follow with 3 points each in the 9-round Swiss System event, namely Indian players Vidit Santosh Gujrathi, Chanda Sandipan, Tejas Bakre, Shah Sagar and Sundar Shyam and WGM Swaminathan Soumya, Bajarani, Nijat Abasov and Zaur Mammadov of Azerbaijan, Luka Paichadze of Georgia, Sergey Volkov of Russia, Vadim Malakhatko of Belgium, Mircea Emilian Parligras of Romania, Alexander Areshchenko, Eldar Gasanov, Evgenij Miroshnichenko, Martyn Kravtsiv and Andrey Baryshpolets of Ukraine, Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh, Levon Babujian of Armenia and Asyl Abdyjapar of Kyrgyzstan.
At stake in the tournament organized by the Al Ain Chess Club is a total of $50,000 in cash prizes. A strong field of 150 players including 43 Grandmasters, 9 Woman Grandmasters and 14 International Masters have come from 27 countries. Aside from the host country, India has the largest delegation with 31 players followed by Azerbaijan with 23, and Ukraine and Iran with 11 each.
Games start 4pm and are broadcast live at the alainchess.com web site with Youtube video commentary for Alain Chess Classic channel and results and standings in chess-results.com.
Top seed Kryvoruchko of Ukraine (left) vs Ter-Sahakyan of Armenia
Indian Grandmaster Sengupta
Indian Grandmaster Gopal
Indian Grandmaster Gupta
Rounds 2-3
GM Yuri Kuzubov of Ukraine and six other grandmasters share the lead with perfect scores of 3 points each after as many rounds of the Al Ain Classic Chess Championship at the Hili Rotana in Al Ain.
Two rounds were played on Saturday, the second day of the 9 round Swiss System event. Kuzubov beat GM Visnu Prasanna of India in the morning and followed up with another win over GM Luka Paichadze of Georgia in the afternoon round, using the French defense to beat the Georgian in 36 moves. Tied for the lead at 3 points each are Ukrainians Yuriy Kryvoruchko and Mikhailo Oleksienko, Sergei Zhigalko of Belarus, Tigran Petrosian of Armenia, Gaioz Nigalidze of Georgia and Ulvi Bajarani of Azerbaijan.
Kryvoruchko was delivering checkmate on the 35th move against GM Samuel Ter-Sahakyan of Armenia. Oleksienko crushed the Slav Defense of International Master Zaur Mammadov of Azerbaijan in 40 moves.
Zhigalko kept pace, beating GM Tejas Bakre of India in round 2 and GM Eldar Gasanov of Ukraine in round 3. Petrosian used the PIrc Defense to beat Bangladesh GM Ziaur Rahman in 57 moves of a Rook and pawn endgame.
Nigalidze upset higher rated Alexander Areshchenko of Ukraine, crushing his Gruenfeld Defense in a marathon 79 moves of a minor piece endgame. In another upset, youthful Ulvi Bajarani smashed the Pirc Defense of GM Evgeni Miroshnichenko of Ukraine in 39 moves.
GM Vidit Santosh Gujarathi
Eighteen players follow with 2.5 points, namely Indian GMs Vidit Santos Gujrathi, Sahaj Grover, G.N. Gopal, Abhijeet Gupta, Deep Sengupta and IM Shardul Gagare, Sarasadat Khademalsharieh of Iran, Nijat Abasov, Gulnar Mammadova of Azerbaijan, Samuel Shankland of the USA, Levon Babujian and Aman Pashikian of Armenia, Vladimir Onishuk and Alexander Kovchan of Ukraine, Sergey Volkov of Russia, Vadim Malakhatko of Belgium and Mircea Emilian Parligras of Romania.
At stake in the tournament organized by the Al Ain Chess Club is a total of $50,000 in cash prizes. A strong field of 150 players including 43 Grandmasters, 9 Woman Grandmasters and 14 International Masters have come from 27 countries.
Aside from the host country, India has the largest delegation with 31 players followed by Azerbaijan with 23, and Ukraine and Iran with 11 each. Games are broadcast live at the alainchess.com web site with video commentary on youtube and results and standings in chess-results.com.
GM Yuriy Kuzubov of Ukraine
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