Abu Dhabi

[Hans Jung]

The Abu Dhabi Open has just started. Its becoming overwhelming to follow all the major tournaments. I count ten major international tournaments happening right now on the calendar. You have to pick and choose which ones to watch.

[Serge Archambault]

0123456789

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2019...thil_Ajgaonkar A bit humorous. Black 24...Ba6 is met by Rxd5, Qxd5 and Qxe6+ (tactics galore).

[Wayne Komer]

Abu Dhabi Masters 2019

August 7, 2019

Round Six

Ranking after Round Six

Rk.				Name		FED		Rtg		Pts.
1		GM		Jobava Baadur		GEO		2584		6
2		GM		Yakubboev Nodirbek		UZB		2574		5
3		GM		Socko Bartosz		POL		2625		5
4		GM		Karthikeyan Murali		IND		2612		5
5		GM		Ni Hua		CHN		2668		5
6		GM		Maghsoodloo Parham		IRI		2656		4.5
7		GM		Aleksandrov Aleksej		BLR		2571		4.5
8		GM		Zubov Alexander		UKR		2607		4.5
9		GM		Yuffa Daniil		RUS		2571		4.5
10		GM		Bartel Mateusz		POL		2612		4.5
11		GM		Aryan Chopra		IND		2553		4.5
12		GM		Antipov Mikhail Al.		RUS		2599		4.5
13		GM		Esipenko Andrey		RUS		2625		4.5
14		GM		Can Emre		TUR		2593		4.5
15		GM		Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.		IND		2607		4.5
16		GM		Vaibhav Suri		IND		2591		4.5
17		GM		Petrosyan Manuel		ARM		2592		4
18		GM		Indjic Aleksandar		SRB		2617		4
19		GM		Yilmaz Mustafa		TUR		2614		4
20		IM		Krishna C R G		IND		2444		4
21		GM		Istratescu Andrei		ROU		2561		4
22		GM		Tabatabaei M.Amin		IRI		2601		4
23		GM		Volokitin Andrei		UKR		2636		4
24		CM		Aronyak Ghosh		IND		2332		4
25		GM		Abdusattorov Nodirbek		UZB		2594		4
26		FM		Rathanvel V S		IND		2367		4
27		GM		Santos Latasa Jaime		ESP		2586		4
28		GM		Sengupta Deep		IND		2546		4
29		GM		Bai Jinshi		CHN		2599		4
30		IM		Vignesh N R		IND		2466		4
31		WIM		Mahalakshmi M		IND		2173		4
32		GM		Paichadze Luka		GEO		2570		4
33		GM		Petrov Nikita		RUS		2595		4
34		GM		Ter-Sahakyan Samvel		ARM		2632		4
35		GM		Kryvoruchko Yuriy		UKR		2686		4
36		GM		Bajarani Ulvi		AZE		2515		4
37		IM		Shyaamnikhil P		IND		2457		4
38		IM		Viani Antonio Dcunha		IND		2371		3.5

Jobava is leading the tournament with a perfect score!

Round 1, August 2
Gomes, Mary Ann – Jobava, Baadur
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nc6 3.d4 Bf5 4.c3 Qd7 5.Bf4 f6 6.Nbd2 g5 7.Be3 Bh3 8.Bxh3 Qxh3 9.b4 e6 10.Qa4 g4 11.Nh4 Kf7 12.Bf4 Bh6 13.Bxh6 Nxh6 14.e4 a5 15.b5 Ne7 16.O-O-O Ng6 17.Nxg6 hxg6 18.Rde1 b6 19.c4 dxe4 20.Rxe4 Nf5 21.c5 Qg2 22.Rhe1 Rxh2 23.Qc4 Kg7 24.Qxe6 Rf8 25.Rf4 Rf7 26.Qc6 Qxc6 27.bxc6 bxc5 28.dxc5 Ne7 29.Re6 g5 30.Rfe4 Nf5 31.Rxg4 Rxf2 32.a4 Rf8 33.Nb3 Rh8 34.Re1 Rhh2 35.Nd4 Ne3 36.Re4 Ra2 37.Kb1 Nd5 38.Nf5+ Kf8 39.Re8+ Kf7 40.R8e3 Nxe3 41.Rxe3 Raf2 0-1

Round 2, August 3
Jobava, Baadur – Agmanov, Zhandos
E40 Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bd3 O-O 7.Ne2 Re8 8.Bd2 Bd6 9.Rc1 c6 10.f3 Nh5 11.Kf2 f5 12.h4 Be6 13.Qb3 b6 14.Qa4 a6 15.Qc2 g6 16.Na4 a5 17.Qb3 Bc7 18.g3 Bf7 19.Nf4 Nxf4 20.gxf4 h5 21.Qc2 Qf6 22.Nc3 Bd6 23.Rcg1 Kh7 24.Rg5 Be6 25.Rhg1 Rg8 26.e4 Bxf4 27.e5 Bxe5 28.dxe5 Qxe5 29.Ne2 Qh2+ 30.R1g2 Qxh4+ 31.Kg1 Nd7 32.Rh2 1-0

Round 3, August 3
Xu, Yi – Jobava, Baadur
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.c3 h6 7.O-O Nd7 8.Nbd2 Bh7 9.b4 Ng6 10.Nb3 Be7 11.Ne1 O-O 12.f4 b6 13.Be3 a5 14.Nd3 Qc7 15.g4 Nh4 16.Bf2 axb4 17.cxb4 Ra3 18.Bg3 Rfa8 19.Qd2 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 c5 21.bxc5 bxc5 22.dxc5 Nxc5 23.Qc2 Qa7 24.Nxc5 Qxc5+ 25.Qxc5 Bxc5+ 26.Kh1 Rxa2 27.Rxa2 Rxa2 28.Bd3 Ra3 29.Bb1 Nf3 30.Rc1 Nd2 31.Bf2 Nxb1 32.Bxc5 Rb3 33.Bd4 Na3 34.Rc8+ Kh7 35.Rf8 Nc2 36.Bg1 Rb7 37.f5 Ne1 38.Bd4 exf5 39.gxf5 Nf3 40.Bc3 d4 41.e6 dxc3 42.exf7 Rb2 43.Rh8+ Kxh8 44.f8=Q+ Kh7 0-1

Round 4, August 4
Jobava, Baadur – Indjic, Aleksandar
B34 Sicilian, Accelerated Fianchetto, Exchange

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 g6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bg7 6.Nb3 Nf6 7.Be2 d6 8.O-O O-O 9.Re1 b6 10.Bg5 Bb7 11.Qd2 Rc8 12.Bh6 Ne5 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Qd4 Nc6 15.Qe3 e6 16.Rad1 Qe7 17.Qc1 Rfd8 18.Rd3 Ba6 19.Rh3 Bxe2 20.Rxe2 h5 21.f4 Ng4 22.Rf3 a6 23.h3 Nf6 24.Qe1 b5 25.Kh1 Rc7 26.Qf2 Re8 27.a3 Rh8 28.Rd3 h4 29.Red2 a5 30.Qe3 a4 31.Nd4 Na5 32.b3 axb3 33.cxb3 Rb7 34.Ncxb5 e5 35.fxe5 dxe5 36.Nf5+ gxf5 37.Qg5+ Kf8 38.Rd8+ Ne8 39.Rxe8+ Qxe8 40.Qf6 Rg8 41.Rd8 Rxb5 42.Qh6+ Rg7 43.Qd6+ Kg8 44.Rxe8+ Kh7 45.Qd7 1-0

Round 5, August 5
Salem, A.R. Saleh – Jobava, Baadur
D15 QGD Slav, Slav Gambit

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 b5 6.Be2 Bg4 7.e5 Nd5 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 e6 10.a4 Bb4 11.Bd2 Bxc3 12.bxc3 O-O 13.O-O Nd7 14.axb5 cxb5 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Ra6 Nb6 17.Qb1 Qd7 18.f4 f5 19.Qb4 Rfb8 20.Re1 Rb7 21.e6 Qe8 22.Qb1 g6 23.g4 Qe7 24.gxf5 Qh4 25.Re2 Qxh3 26.f6 Qg4+ 27.Rg2 Qxe6 28.f5 Qxf6 29.Ra2 Re8 30.Bf4 Rf8 31.Rg5 Nd7 32.Rag2 b4 33.fxg6 h6 34.g7 Re8 35.R5g4 Re4 36.Bg5 Qe6 37.Rxe4 Qxe4 38.Qd1 hxg5 39.Re2 Qg4+ 0-1

Round 6, August 7
Jobava, Baadur – Maghsoodloo, Parham
B67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Rauzer Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 Nf6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.O-O-O Bd7 9.Nxc6 Bxc6 10.f3 b5 11.Kb1 Be7 12.h4 h6 13.Be3 h5 14.Ne2 Qc7 15.Nd4 Bd7 16.Rc1 e5 17.Nb3 a5 18.c4 a4 19.cxb5 Qd8 20.Na1 d5 21.Nc2 dxe4 22.Nb4 Bf5 23.Qxd8+ Rxd8 24.Nc6 exf3+ 25.Ka1 Nd5 26.Bf2 e4 27.Nxd8 e3 28.b6 Kxd8 29.Bg3 e2 30.gxf3 exf1=Q 31.Rhxf1 Nxb6 32.Bc7+ Ke8 33.Bxb6 Bxh4 34.Rc4 Bd8 35.Bxd8 Kxd8 36.Rxa4 Ke7 37.Rd4 g5 38.b4 h4 39.b5 h3 40.a4 Bc8 41.a5 h2 42.Re1+ Kf6 43.Rd6+ Kf5 44.Rh1 Kf4 45.Rd2 Kg3 46.a6 f5 47.Rc2 Be6 48.Rhxh2 Rxh2 49.Rxh2 Kxh2 50.b6 1-0

Final position



In Round 7, it is Ni, Hua against Jobava

[Wayne Komer]

Abu Dhabi Masters 2019

August 8, 2019

Round Seven

The commentators are Dimitri Komarov and Viorel Iordachescu. Both very good. In fact, Komarov’s work was praised in ChessTalk during the World Rapids in Dubai in 2014

https://forum.chesstalk.com/forum/ch...hip-dubai-2014

I said: a perfectly delightful commentator with a low, easy, soft accent. He may be Dimitry Komarov. Delightful last name too!

And Tom O’Donnell wrote: I hope they bring back Komarov to do more commentary. Fantastic job.

____________

The game on first board is Ni Hua and Baadur Jobava

Round 7, August 8
Ni,Hua – Jobava, Baadur
D17 QGD Slav, Krause Attack

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Na6 7.e3 Nb4 8.Bxc4 e6 9.O-O Bd6 10.Qe2 h6 11.e4 Bh7 12.Bf4 O-O 13.Rad1 Qc7 14.Bg3 Rae8 15.Bb3 a6 16.Nc4 Bxg3 17.hxg3 b5 18.Ne5 Rd8 19.Ng4 Nxg4 20.Qxg4 Qb6 21.axb5 axb5 22.Ne2 c5 23.dxc5 Qxc5 24.Qf3 Nc6 25.Rc1 Qb6 26.Rfd1 b4 27.Qf4 Na5 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.Ba4 Bg6 30.Qe5 f6 31.Qc5 Qxc5 32.Rxc5 Ra8 33.f3 Nb7 34.Rb5 Rxa4 35.Rxb7 e5 36.Kf2 Bf7 37.Ke3 h5 38.f4 1/2-1/2

The critical point came at move 30 when Ni Hua played Qe5. Jobava replied with f6 and the position became equal. But, would 30….Rd2 have won the game for him?

Position after 30.Qe5




Stockfish says yes and gives this line: (30... Rd2 31. Nf4 Rxf2 32. Qc5 Qxc5 33. Rxc5 Rxb2 34. Nxg6 fxg6 35. Rxa5 Ra2 36. e5 b3 37. Rb5 Rxa4 38. Rxb3 g5 39. Kf2 Kf7 40. Kf3 g4+ 41. Ke3 Kg6 42. Rb7 Kf5 43. Rxg7 Ra3+ 44. Kd4 Rxg3)

My engine says no and gives this line:

( 30...Rd2 31.Nf4 Kh7 32.Qc5 Qxc5 33.Rxc5 Nb7 34.Rc7 Nd8 35.Nxg6 Kxg6 36.Rc8 Nb7 37.Rc7 Nd8 )

[Wayne Komer]

Abu Dhabi Masters 2019

August 9, 2019

Round Eight

Jobava has won his game and leads the table with 7.5/8.


Round 8, August 9
Jobava, Baadur – Bartel, Mateusz
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Modern variation

1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 d6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Ne2 c6 5.g3 h5 6.h3 Bf5 7.Bg2 Be4 8.Bxe4 Nxe4 9.d3 Nf6 10.Nd2 Nbd7 11.O-O Qe7 12.Kg2 g6 13.a4 Bg7 14.e4 O-O 15.Nc4 Nh7 16.Ba3 Nc5 17.Nc3 Rad8 18.b4 Ne6 19.b5 h4 20.a5 a6 21.bxc6 bxc6 22.Rb1 f5 23.Rb6 Nd4 24.Rxa6 Ng5 25.exf5 hxg3 26.fxg3 gxf5 27.Ne2 Nde6 28.h4 f4 29.Bxd6 Rxd6 30.hxg5 Rd5 31.Nc3 Nxg5 32.Nxd5 cxd5 33.Nxe5 Qxe5 34.gxf4 Qf5 35.Qh5 Qc8 36.Rg6 Nh7 37.Qxd5+ Rf7 38.Rg1 Nf8 39.Rg3 Qa6 40.Rxg7+ Kxg7 41.Kh2+ Ng6 42.f5 1-0

Position after White’s 34.gxf4

[Wayne Komer]

Abu Dhabi Masters 2019

August 10, 2019

Round Nine

Jobava wins the tournament

Round 9, August 10
Yakubboev, Nodirbek – Jobava, Baadur
D17 QGD Slav, Krause Attack

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Nb6 8.Ne5 a5 9.Bg5 Nbd7 10.Qb3 Nxe5 11.dxe5 Nd7 12.Qxb7 Nxe5 13.Rd1 Qb8 14.Qxb8+ Rxb8 15.Bf4 f6 16.e4 Be6 17.Rd2 Rb4 18.Be2 Kf7 19.O-O Nc4 20.Rc2 Nxb2 21.Bc7 Nxa4 22.Bxa5 Nxc3 23.Bxb4 Nxe2+ 24.Rxe2 Bc4 25.Rc2 Bxf1 26.Kxf1 e5 27.Bxf8 Rxf8 28.Rxc6 1/2-1/2

Round 9, August 10
Ni, Hua – Maghsoodloo, Parham
A80 Dutch

1.d4 f5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Be2 Nc6 5.Nf3 Ne7 6.O-O Ng6 7.c4 b6 8.Nc3 Bb4 9.Rc1 Bb7 10.Nb5 Nxf4 11.exf4 a6 12.Nc3 O-O 13.Ne5 d6 14.Nf3 Bxc3 15.Rxc3 Ne4 16.Rc1 Qf6 17.Qd3 h6 18.h4 Kh8 19.Qe3 a5 20.g3 Qg6 21.Nd2 Nf6 22.Bf3 Bxf3 23.Qxf3 Ne4 24.Qe3 e5 25.dxe5 dxe5 26.fxe5 Rae8 27.Qf4 Nc5 28.Rc3 Ne6 29.Qe3 f4 30.Qe4 Qxe4 31.Nxe4 Nd4 32.Rd3 c5 33.Nd2 Rxe5 34.Nf3 Nxf3+ 35.Rxf3 Re2 36.b3 Rxa2 37.Re1 Ra3 38.Kg2 Rf6 39.gxf4 Rg6+ 40.Kh2 a4 41.Ree3 Rg4 42.Kh3 h5 43.bxa4 Rxa4 44.Re5 g6 45.Re7 Ra1 46.Rg3 Rh1+ 47.Kg2 Rhxh4 48.Rb7 Rxf4 49.Ra3 Rfg4+ 50.Kf1 Rh1+ 51.Ke2 Re4+ 52.Kd2 Rd4+ 53.Ke2 Re4+ 1/2-1/2

Final Ranking

Rk.		Name		FED		Rtg			Pts.
1		Jobava Baadur		GEO		2584			8
2		Yakubboev Nodirbek		UZB		2574			7
3		Maghsoodloo Parham		IRI		2656		6.5
4		Socko Bartosz		POL		2625			6.5
5		Indjic Aleksandar		SRB		2617			6.5
6		Salem A.R. Saleh		UAE		2668			6.5
7		Petrosyan Manuel		ARM		2592			6.5
8		Bartel Mateusz		POL		2612			6.5
9		Ni Hua		CHN		2668			6.5
10		Tabatabaei M.Amin		IRI		2601			6.5
11		Aryan Chopra		IND		2553			6
12		Zubov Alexander		UKR		2607			6
13		Karthikeyan Murali		IND		2612			6
14		Sengupta Deep		IND		2546			6
15		Can Emre		TUR		2593			6
16		Abdusattorov Nodirbek		UZB		2594			6
17		Esipenko Andrey		RUS		2625			6
18		Santos Latasa Jaime		ESP		2586			6
19		Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.		IND		2607			6
20		Vaibhav Suri		IND		2591			6
21		Yuffa Daniil		RUS		2571			5.5
22		Aleksandrov Aleksej		BLR		2571			5.5
23		Paichadze Luka		GEO		2570			5.5
24		Antipov Mikhail Al.		RUS		2599			5.5
25		Rathanvel V S		IND		2367			5.5

ChessBase India - A genius like Jobava can be halted for a while, but never stopped! From world no.19 (Elo 2734) he is now down to 212 (2584). But when Baadur strikes form it's simply a joy to watch him play! 2908 performance and 8.0/9 to win the Abu Dhabi Masters by a full point! Congrats Baadur!