GM Nils Grandelius of Sweden prevailed in the tie break to win the crown in the Abu Dhabi Masters Chess Championship at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Grand Corniche. Tied with Grandelius at 7 points each are Martyn Kravtsiv of Hungary, Baadur Jobava of Georgia, Alexander Areshchenko of Ukraine and Richard Rapport of Hungary.

Actually first to finish was the game between two erstwhile co-leaders, Ukarinian compatriots Martyn Kravtsiv and Alexander Areshchenko who drew by 3-time repetition of position in only 20 moves of their Sicilian Najdorf poisoned pawn game. The friendly truce allowed three others to share the top cash prizes.

Grandelius crushed the Slav defense of Vladimir Akopian of Armenia in a marathon 83 moves of a minor piece endgame. The Swede won the tie break by virtue of a higher average rating of opponents.

Baadur Jobava turned back the English Opening of Tigran Petrosian in 37 moves with an unstoppable queening pawn. Rapport veered away from book lines as he essayed a Queen’s pawn opening against Dariusz Swiercz and won in 72 moves threatening pawn promotion.

Tied at 6.5 points each are GM Saleh A.R. Salem of the UAE, Abhijeet Gupta of India, the only two Asians landing in the prize money, Peter Prohaszka of Hungary and Gawain Jones of England.

A total of $36,600 in cash prizes shall be distributed to the top ten placers.

Filipino International Master Haridas Pascua earned a hard fought draw against GM Gabor Papp of Hungary to clinch his third and final norm to become the Philippines’ newest grandmaster.

Ukrainians Alexander Areshchenko and Martyn Kravtsiv beat their respective 8th round opponents to tie for the lead with 6.5 points each after the penultimate round of the Abu Dhabi Masters Chess Championship at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche.

Areshchenko halted the winning streak of erstwhile solo leader Nils Grandelius of Sweden to open wide the race for the top prize of $12,000. The 29-year-old was former Ukrainian champion in 2005. Areshchenko essayed the Closed Ruy Lopez and maintained the initiative with the white pieces. He controlled the center and launched a kingside pawn storm to force resignation on the 58th move.

Kravtsiv, 25, gold medalist in the 2008 World Mind Sports Games, outmaneuvered the Queen’s Gambit declined of Abhijeet Gupta of India. The Ukrainian countered on the queenside and capitalized on Gupta’s overextended kingside pawns to weave a mating net with Queen and Bishop on the 40th move.

Grandelius fell a half point behind the leaders, tied with six other players at 6 points apiece together with Baadur Jobava of Georgia, Dariusz Swiercz of Poland, Vladimir Akopian and Tigran Petrosian of Armenia, and Peter Prohaszka and Richard Rapport of Hungary.

Gupta is bunched together with seven other players with 5.5 points each, namely Saleh A.R. Salem of the UAE, Debashis Das and G.N. Gopal of India, Eduardo Iturrizaga of Venezuelan, Vladislav Nevednichy of Romania, Gawain Jones of England and Russians Aleksandr Rakhmanov and Sanan Sjugirov.

At press time, Kravtsiv and Areshchenko drew their last round game with each other after less than an hour of play. Areshchenko used the Sicilian defense, poisoned pawn variation, and they drew by repetition of position on the 20th move, maintaining their tie for the lead at 7 points each. Still going on were other matches among 6 pointers who have a chance to tie for the championship.

In the open division, Iranian Ebrahim Ghadiri and Azerbaijani Turan Asgarova are tied for the lead at 7 points each after the penultimate 8th round. Azerbaijani players Said Rafili and Vugar Manafov won the junior division with 6.5 points each out of 7 rounds with Rafili winning the title by tie break.

The Festival offers a total of $56,650 in cash prizes for eleven events including a family tournament and Homeland protectors tournament. Visit official site www.adchessfestival.com for live games, pairings and standings in chess-results.com.

On the free day, players were given a tour of Yas Island, Ferrari world, Burj Khalifa Tower and Dubai Mall.

Grandmaster Nils Grandelius of Sweden beat erstwhile co-leader Richard Rapport of Hungary to grab solo lead with two rounds remaining in the Abu Dhabi Masters Chess Championship at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche.



Grandelius turned back the Trompovsky Attack of Rapport, penetrating with both Rooks on the seventh rank and forcing resignation on the 41st move. The win gave the 22-year-old Swede the lead with 6 points and a strong chance to take home the top prize of $12,000. He faces GM Alexander Areschenko of Ukraine in the penultimate round.

Areschenko and six others are a half point behind. Tied at 5.5 points each are GMs Abhijeet Gupta of India, Baadur Jobava of Georgia, Martyn Kravtsiv of Ukraine, Dariusz Swiercz of Poland, Peter Prohaszka of Hungary and Tigran Petrosian of Armenia.



Gupta, 26, world junior champion in 2008, used the English opening and drew with Areschenko in a marathon 62 moves. Jobabva, 32-year-old former Georgian champion and Olympiad gold medalist, used the Sicilian defense to beat Kaido Kulaots of Estonia in 48 moves. Kravtsiv, 25, Youth Olympiad gold medalist in 2006, drew in 31 moves against the Caro Kann defense of Vladimir Akopian of Armenia.

Swiercz, 21, world junior champion in 2011, smashed the Dutch defense of Yuriy Kuzubov of Ukraine in 38 moves. Peter Prohaszka, 23, of Hungary crushed the Modern Benoni defense of Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli of Venezuela. Petrosian, 31-year-old 2-time Armenian champion, capitalized on a blunder in the French defense of second seed Yuriy Kryvoruchko of Ukraine in 31 moves.

Six players follow a half point bebind in the race for $33,600 in cash prizes for the top ten places. Tied at 5 points each are Akopian, G.N. Gopal of India, Richard Rapport of Hungary, Gawain Jones of England, Hovhannes Gabuzyan of Armenia and Ehsan Ghaem Maghami of Iran.

In the open tournament for players rated below 2000, the unrated Omani sensation Salim Al Aamri Musallam is in solo lead with 6.5 points out of 7 rounds. In the junior division, two Azerbaijanis, Said Rafili and Vugar Manafov share the lead with 6.5 points each.

The Festival offers a total of $56,650 in cash prizes for eleven events including a family tournament and Homeland protectors tournament. Visit official site www.adchessfestival.com for live games, pairings and standings in chess-results.com.

On the free day, players were given a tour of Yas Island, Ferrari world and Khalifa Tower. The last round will be played 10am on Monday, 31 August.

 
GM Richard Rapport (HUN) and GM Abhijeet Gupta (IND)

India’s GM Abhijeet Gupta clawed his way back to share a 5-way tie for the lead with Sweden’s Nils Grandelius, Richard Rapport of Hungary and Ukrainians Martin Kravtsiv and Alexander Areschenko at 5 points each after six rounds of the Abu Dhabi Masters Chess Championship at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche.

Gupta used the King’s Indian Defense to halt the winning streak of International Master Haridas Pascua of the Philippines, the only non-GM in the top quarter of the tournament. Gupta equalized early in the opening, took control of the center and used his advantage of the two Bishops to create a passed pawn and force resignation on the 61st move. Richard Rapport of Hungary used the Modern Benoni defense against Suri Vaibhav of India to promote his pawn to an extra Queen and force resignation on the 40th move.

Asian champion Saleh A. R. Salem suffered his first loss, against Areshenko in 45 moves of the Emirati’s Sicilian defense. Salem dropped to a share of 15th slot with 4 points. The other game between leaders Grandelius and Kravtsiv was a hard fought Queen’s Gambit declined which reached to a king and pawn endgame drawn in a marathon 67 moves.

Nine players follow a half point behind the leaders. Tied at 4.5 points each are grandmasters Jobava Baadur of Georgia, Yuriy Kryvoruchko and Yuriy Kuzuybov of Ukraine, Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli of Venezuela, Kaido Kulaots of Estonia, Vladimir Akopian and Tigran Petrosian of Armenia, Darius Sqiercz of Poland and Peter Prohaszka of Hungary.

The Abu Dhabi Masters tournament is one of the strongest tournaments in the world with 45 grandmasters among whom 20 are rated over 2600. The Open tournament is for players rated 2000 and below while the Juniors tournament is for players under 16 years of age and played with a faster time control.

Unrated Omani player Salim Al Aamri Musallam, Ismayil Ismayilzada of Azerbaijan and Ebrahim Ghadiri of Iran share the lead with 5.5 points each out of 6 rounds in the field of 178 players from 25 countries. In the juniors, four Azerbaijan players are tied for the lead namely Farid Mustafayev, Rafili Said, Vugar Manafov and Rafail Manafov, in a field of 131 players from 22 countries.

There will also be a blitz tournament, a simultaneous exhibition and Homeland Protectors tournament for members of the military and police. Completing the festival is a family team tournament of player and parent. Masters Games start 6pm at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche. The Festival offers a total of $56,650 in cash prizes for eleven events.

Grandelius vs. Jobava

GM Martin Kravtsiv of Hungary beat GM Yuriy Kuzubov of Ukraine in the 5th round to share the lead with GM Nils Grandelius of Sweden with 4.5 points each at the halfway mark of the 22nd Abu Dhabi Masters Chess Championship at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche.

Kravtsiv, 25, crushed the Sicilian Najdorf defense of Kuzubov in 29 moves to catch up with erstwhile solo leader Grandelius who was held to a draw by GM Baadur Jobava of Georgia in 40 moves of a Sicilian defense.

Tied with Jobava at 4 points each are Grandmasters Saleh A.R. Salem of the UAE, Abhijeet Gupta and Suri Vaibhav of India, Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli of Venezuela, Alexander Areshchenko of Ukraine, Kaido Kulaots of Estonia, Evgeny Romanov of Russia, Richard Rapport of Hungary and Dariusz Swiercz of Poland, and the only non-GM in the lead pack, International Master Haridas Pascua of the Philippines.

Pascua, 22, got his second GM scalp as he upset Vladimir Onishuk of Ukraine. The Filipino used the Sicilian defense and in a double edged game, Onischuk walked into a mating net and resigned on the 48th move.

In other decisive games, Gupta outplayed the Bogo Indian defense of GM Vladislav Nevednichy of Romania in 30 moves while Vaibhav kept pace beating the Semi Slav defense of former US junior champion Samuel Shankland in 37 moves. Hungarian 19-year-old GM Richard Rapport countered by beating the French Defense of Indian GM Chanda Sandipan in 37 moves. Asian champion Salem drew with Iturrizaga in 50 moves of a Rook and pawn endgame. Areshchenko turned back the English opening of GM Hovhannes Gabuzyan of Armenia in 44 moves. Kulaots used the Keres attack against the Sicilian scheveningen of GM Yuri Vovk of Ukraine to win in 58 moves. Romanov smashed the Dutch Defense of GM Aleksandr Rakhmanov of Russia in 39 moves. Swiercz outmaneuvered the Benoni defense of GM Jahongir Vakhidov of Uzbekistan in a marathon 73 moves.

The Masters tournament is open to players rated 2000 and above. The Open tournament is for players rated 2000 and below while the Juniors tournament is for players under 16 years of age and played with a faster time control. Unrated Omani player Salim Al Aamri Musallam is in solo lead in the open tournament with 4.5 points out of 5 rounds in the field of 178 players from 25 countries. Farid Mustafayev of Azerbaijan is alone in the juniors with a perfect 5 point score in the field of 131 players from 22 countries.

There will also be a blitz tournament, a simultaneous exhibition and Homeland Protectors tournament for members of the military and police. Completing the festival is a family team tournament of player and parent. Masters Games start 6pm at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche. The Festival offers a total of $56,650 in cash prizes for eleven events.

GM Nils Grandelius of Sweden

GM Nils Grandelius of Sweden won his fourth round assignment to grab solo lead with a perfect score of 4 points in the Abu Dhabi Masters Chess Championship at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche as erstwhile co-leader Saleh A.R.Salem of the UAE was held to a draw.

Grandelius, 22, former European Youth champion in 2011, played the black side of a Catalan system and outmaneuvered GM Vladimir Belous of Russia in 79 moves of a minor piece endgame. The victory catapulted Grandelius to solo first midway through the 9-round Swiss system tournament.

Erstwhile co-leader Saleh A. R. Salem dropped to second slot as he was held to a draw by 4th seed GM Baadur Jobava, rated 2664, of Georgia in 51 moves of a Symmetrical English opening. Four players are tied with Salem at 3.5 points each, namely Jobava, Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli of Venezuela and Ukrainians Martyn Kravtsiv and Yuriy Kuzubov. Kuzubov crushed the Modern Benoni of GM Kaido Kulaots of Estonia in 43 moves. Iturrizaga used the English opening to beat GM Gabor Papp of Hungary in 62 moves. Kravtsiv slew the Sicilian Dragon of British GM Gawain Jones in 45 moves of a Rook and Pawn endgame.

The only non-grandmaster in the top 29 slots, Filipino International Master Haridas Pascua, rated 2447, kept his title norm chances alive as he held highly rated Polish GM Dariusz Swiercz, 2617 to a draw by repetition in 34 moves of a Modern Benoni. Tied with Pascua at 3 points each are 23 Grandmasters aiming for the top 10 slots and a total of $33,600 in cash prizes. Holding their own in this mostly European group are Indian grandmasters Abhijeet Gupta, Chanda Sandipan and Suri Vaibhav with 3 points apiece. The Masters tournament is open to players rated 2000 and above. The Open tournament is for players rated 2000 and below while the Juniors tournament is for players under 16 years of age and played with a faster time control.

In the Open, unrated Omani player Musallam Salim Al Aamri is the surprise as he shares the lead with Ismayil Ismahilzada of Azerbaijan and Alshaeby Razan of Jordan with 4 points each in the field of 178 players from 25 countries. In the juniors, Emirati players Sultan Al Zaabi, Al Hamed Abdulla, Marshool Mohamed and Saeed Al Hosani are tied in a group of 12 leading the tournament with perfect scores of 3 points out of as many rounds in the field of 131 players from 22 countries.

There will also be a blitz tournament, a simultaneous exhibition and Homeland Protectors tournament for members of the military and police. Completing the festival is a family team tournament of player and parent. Masters Games start 6pm at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche. The Festival offers a total of $56,650 in cash prizes for eleven events.

Reigning Asian champion Saleh A.R. Salem of the UAE and four others share the lead with perfect scores after three rounds of the Abu Dhabi Chess Festival at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche in Abu Dhabi.

Salem, who recently won the Asian Continental Championship in Al Ain, displayed his usual attacking style as he crushed the Queen’s Indian defense of second seed GM Yuriy Kryvoruchko, 2697, of Ukraine in only 30 moves.

Tied with Salem at 3 points each are Vladimir Belous of Russia, Baadur Jobava of Georgia, Nils Grandelius of Sweden and Kaido Kulaots of Estonia.

Baadur turned back the English Opening of Hovhannes Gabuzyan of Armenia in 38 moves. Belous used the Modern Benoni defense to beat Abhijeet Gupta of India. Erstwhile co-leader Chanda Sandipan of India experimented in the Four Knights Game and lost to Grandelius in 58 moves. Kulaots made short work of the Sicilian defense of Russian GM Aleksandr Rahmanov in 31 moves.

Fourteen players trail with 2.5 points each in the race for $33,600 in cash prizes for the top ten places. After playing two rounds yesterday (25 Aug), the tournament schedule calls for one round per day starting 6pm with a free day on Friday, 28 Aug, while the last round starts 10am on 31 August.

The Masters tournament is open to players rated 2000 and above, with the exception of Abu Dhabi players. A number of events are being held concurrently. The Open tournament is for players rated 2000 and below while the Juniors tournament is for players under 16 years of age and played with a faster time control. The top four players from each age group qualify for the knockout finals. There will also be a blitz tournament, a simultaneous exhibition and Homeland Protectors tournament for members of the military and police. Completing the festival is a family team tournament of player and parent.

Games start 6pm at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche. In the open section, 178 players from 25 countries are competing. In the juniors tournament, there are 131 players from 22 countries. The Festival offers a total of $56,650 in cash prizes for eleven events.

Opening the Abu Dhabi Chess Festival, Shekkh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, head of the UAE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Social Development (center) with Abu Dhabi Chess Club Chairman Hussein Abdulla Khouri, Sharjah Chess Club president Sheikh Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Mualla and Dubai Chess Club president Ibrahim Al Bannai.

Recently crowned Asian champion Saleh A.R. Salem of the UAE and Grandmasters Abhijeet Gupta and Chanda Sandipan of India held the ground for Asian grandmasters against a strong European contingent as 19 players shared the early lead with perfect scores after two rounds of the 22nd Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival Masters Tournaments in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Forty nine grandmasters, 4 Woman Grandmasters, 15 International Masters and 4 WIMs are seeing action in one of the strongest international chess tournaments in the world with over 22 players rated over 2600. Some 125 players from 35 countries are competing for the top prize of $12,000 out of a total of $33,600 for the Masters tournament.

Salem used the Sicilian Najdorf to beat WGM Vita Kryvoruchko in 53 moves. Gupta essayed the King’s Indian defense to make short work of GM Attila Czebe of Hungary in 32 moves. Sandipan crushed the Semi Slav defense of Ibrahim Sultan of the UAE in 45 moves.

Among the favorites rated above 2600, tied at 2 points each are GMs Darius Swiercz of Poland, Gabor Papp of Hungary, Baadur Jobava of Georgia, Yuri Vovk of Ukraine, Nils Grandelius of Sweden, Aleksandr Rakhmanov of Russia and Yuriy Kryvoruchko of Ukraine.

There were upsets in the second round as 22-year-old International Master Haridas Pascua of the Philippines beat GM Tigran Petrosian of Armenia, rated 2623. Pascua countered the Slav Defense of Petrosian, penetrated the seventh rank and in the Rook and pawn endgame promoted his pawn to Queen and forced resignation on the 55th move.

Also tied at 2 points each are Pascua, Artyom Timofeev, Evgeny Romanov and Vladimir Belous of Russia, Kaido Kulaots of Estonia, Jahongir Vakhidov of Uzbekistan, Martyn Kravtsiv and Yuriy Kryvoruchko of Ukraine, Hovhannes Gabuzyan of Armenia and Baris Esen of Turkey.

The Masters tournament is open to players rated 2000 and above, with the exception of Abu Dhabi players. A number of events are being held concurrently. The Open tournament is for players rated 2000 and below while the Juniors tournament is for players under 16 years of age and played with a faster time control. The top four players from each age group qualify for the knockout finals. There will also be a blitz tournament, a simultaneous exhibition and Homeland Protectors tournament for members of the military and police. Completing the festival is a family team tournament of player and parent.

Games start 6pm at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche. In the open section, 178 players from 25 countries are competing. In the juniors tournament, there are 131 players from 22 countries. The Festival offers a total of $56,650 in cash prizes for eleven events.