Kurnosov fights back for Abu Dhabi chess title

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.

Efimenko finished second to Kurnosov, followed by Oleksienko and Grigoryan. GM Sergey Volkov from Russia, Istratescu and Bajarani all finished on six points.

In the open tournament, Iranian Behrang Kaboodi won the title, followed by Libyan Ahmad Al Zayat and Greek Theodoros Varvadoukas. Filipino Francis Erwin Dimarucut was fourth and Iraqi Namir Esmail fifth.

“We are overjoyed and happy with the great success of the festival this year,” Hussain Abdullah Khoury, chairman of the organisers the Abu Dhabi Chess and Culture Club, told Gulf News. “We broke our record of participants with 350 coming from 30 countries.

“The Abu Dhabi Chess Festival has become an annual date for the top players in the world to come to our capital and enjoy competing against each other. It is also one of the biggest events sanctioned by FIDE (World Chess Federation) and its results are important for the ranking of the players.

“We are also happy and proud with the performances of the UAE youngsters in the festival and the brilliant results they achieved, proving the bright future in front of them if they keep playing in such strong and competitive matches. It is great that most of the top playes have promised to come back next year for the 21st version of the festival.”