GM Igor Kurnosov Fights Back for Abu Dhabi Chess Title, Wins on Tiebreak

12th Women's World Chess Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk's Chess Blog for Chess Daily News and Trivia (c) 2013

Hello everyone,

Igor Kurnosov receives his trophy from Saeed Al Maqbali, chairman of the UAE Chess Federation, in the presence of Hussain Abdullah Al Khoury (left) and Ebrahim Al Marzouqi, board member of the club.

Abu Dhabi: Russian Grandmaster Igor Kurnosov came from behind to win the Masters Championship title in the 20th Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival.

Kurnusov beat Ukrainians GM Zahar Efimenko and GM Mikhailo Oleksienko and Armenian GM Avetik Grigoryan in a tie-breaker after all four finished the nine rounds with 6.5 points.

Kurnosov, the top seed, was third after the eighth round but, in his final match, he beat his compatriot GM Aleksandr Rakhmanov as Oleksienko and Efimennko played out a draw and Grigoryan beat Indian GM Suri Vaibhav.

Second seed GM Andre Istratescu, of France, also drew with international master Ulvi Bajarani from Azerbaijan. (Gulf News)

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Abu Dhabhi Chess Festival Penultimate Round: Zahar Efimenko, Mikhailo Oleksienko in Joint Lead

12th Women's World Chess Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk's Chess Blog for Chess Daily News and Trivia (c) 2013

Hello everyone,

Abu Dhabi: Ukrainian Grandmasters Zahar Efimenko and Mikhailo Oleksienko became the joint leaders of the Masters Championship of the 20th Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival with six points each and will face each other in the final round to decide the winner.

Efimenko was held to a tie by GM Aleksandr Rakhmanov in the eighth and penultimate round, while Oleksienko beat Russian GM Sergey Volkov to join his compatriot at the top of the standings. Former leader and top seed, GM Igor Kurnosov, was forced to settle for a tie with Indian International Master Suri Vaibhab, leaving both players on 5.5 points along with Rakhmanov and GM Avetik Grigoryan.

In the final round, Vaibhab will face Grigoryan and Kurnosov will play his compatriot Rakhmanov.

Iranian Behrang Kaboodi became the sole leader of the open tournament with 7.5 points from eight matches after beating Filipino Francis Erwin Dimarucut, while IM Ahmad Al Zayat from Libya was second with seven points after his tie with Greek Theodoros Varvadoukas.

Five players share third spot with 6.5 points: Haitham Mahmoud, Theodoros Varvadoukas, Manuel Alberto and Esmail Namir.

In the final round, Kaboodi will face Namir, Al Zayat will play against Mahmoud and Alberto against Varvadoukas.

UAE youngsters dominated almost all the junior competitions. Sultan Al Darmaki won the under-9s category by beating Haitham Al Kindi, Hareb Al Shamsi won the under-11s after defeating Saeed Al Hussaini, and Tilal Al Hammadi won the under-13s with a win over Mohammad Marshool. Esmail Shahalyiv, from Azerbaijan, won the under-15s title by beating Iranian Borna Derakhshani. (Gulf News)

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GM Zahar Efimenko in Lead at 20th Abu Dhabi Chess Open

12th Women's World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk's Chess Blog for Latest Chess News and Trivia (c) 2013

Hi everyone, 

Abu Dhabi: Ukrainian Grandmaster Zahar Efimenko took the lead at the Masters Championship of the 20th Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival after defeating top seed and former leader, the Russian Grandmaster Igor Kurnosov. He now has collected five points from six rounds.

Efimenko is now ahead of five players who are tied in second spot with four-and-a-half points. They are Kurnosov, GM Sergey Volkov, of Russia, who drew with his compatriot GM Aleksandr Rakhmanov; Indian IM Bhunvanesh R. Ramnath, who defeated Russian GM Vasily Papin; and Ukrainian GM Mikhailo Olekslenko, who overcame GM Gadir Guseinov from Azerbaijan. In the key seventh-round clashes, Efimenko will play Volkov, Kurnosov will face Ramnath and Olekslenko comes up against Rakhmanov.

In the Under-15 Tournament, Ismayil Shahaleiv, from Azerbaijan became the sole leader of the competition with six points after beating UAE’s Mohammad Marshool, while Hamdan Marshool was forced to settle for a draw against Iranian Borna Derakhshani. They both picked up five-and-a-half points to take second place together with UAE’s Ahmad Fareed, who beat his countryman Abdullah Al Shaeri.

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Ukraine Chess Championship Begins with Ruslan Ponomariov as Top Seed

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

 

Ruslan Ponomariov

The 81st edition of the Ukrainian National Chess Championship has begun today and would run till August 7 at the President Hotel in Kiev. Twelve players are competing in the event with Ruslan Ponomariov being top seed. He is also the defending champion. Vassily Ivanchuk is not taking part in the event. With the average elo of 2666 this is the strongest Championship ever in the history of independent Ukraine.

Players:
Ruslan Ponomariov 2726
Alexander Moiseenko 2706
Andrei Volokitin 2704
Zahar Efimenko 2694
Pavel Eljanov 2693
Alexander Areshchenko 2691
Anton Korobov 2683
Evgeny Miroshnichenko 2632
Sergey Fedorchuk 2630
Yuriy Kuzubov 2629
Alexander Zubov 2621
Yuri Vovk 2584

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