Top-seeded Grand Master Evgeny Vladimirov from Kazakhstan was forced to split points with IM Sergey Kayumov from Uzbekistan in his opening match of the 14th Abu Dhabi Annual International Chess Festival which commenced on Saturday.


Dahi Al Suwaidi chairman of the organising committee of 14th Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival, inaugurates the event with other officials yesterday. ©Gulf News
The event is being held under the patronage of Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Undersecretary at the Ministry of Interior and organised by the Abu Dhabi Chess and Culture Club(ADCCC) and the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation (ADCF).

Second-seeded Russian GM Mikhail Kobalia beat his countryman IM Alexander Raetsky, while third- seeded Russian GM Artyom Timofeev drew with IM Kivanc Haznedaroglu from Turkey.

In other matches, fourth- seeded GM Pavel Kostur from Kazakhstan beat woman GM Zeinab Mamediarova from Azerbaijan and Indian GM Pentala Harikrishna, the fifth seed, beat his countryman Nisha Mohota.

UAE's GM Taleb Moussa won his first match beating WGM Julia Mashinskaya from Russia.

Other GMs who won their first match inluded Russians Ramil Hasangatin, Mikhalil Ulibin, Konstantin Chernyshov and Dmitry Boharov, Shukrat Safin from Uzbekistan, Ashot Anastasian from Armenia and Ramachandran Ramesh from India.

IMs Faruk Bistrtic from Bosnia, Tahir Vakhidov from Uzbekistan and Morteza Mahjoob from Iran also won their openers.

In the second round of the Masters meet, Kobalia will meet Vakhidov, Kotsur will play Bsitric, Hasangatin will face Harikrishna, Ulbin will play Ramesh, Safin will face Chernyshov, Taleb will play Anastasian, Bocharov will face Mahjoob and Vladimirov will play Kivanc.

UAE's Najeeb Mohammad Saleh will play against IM Tejas from India, while Suhail Tayeb will face Raetsky.