Grandmasters Share Lead at Dubai Open

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Grandmasters Share Lead at Dubai Open
4 May 2009

DUBAI – Grandmasters shared the lead with 5.5 points at the end of the seventh round of Dubai Open Chess Championship at Dubai Chess and Culture Club. Guseinov Gadir of Azerbaijan defeated GM Geetha Narayanan Gopal of India in 27 moves from a Sicilian defence.

Gopal had bishop pair advantage but Guseinov attacked the king side with his well coordinated major pieces and exposed the monarch.

Gopal resigned when he could not prevent the mating threat and further loss of material.

This crucial match brought top seed into the reckoning and a close finish is on the cards.

The drawing trend which comes in after round six has been minimal and if the grandmasters are ambitious for the title then spectators can be treated to vintage grandmaster battles.

Anastasian Ashot of Armenia defeated GM Aleksandrov Aleksej of Belorussia in a game that lasted 73 moves.

Both players were resourceful and competed to control the centre. Among UAE players, FM Alhuwar Jassem won his game against Tejaswini Reddy of India and joined GM Salem A.R. Saleh at the top with four points.Results of Round 7:

Bachmann Axel (5.5) drew with Malakhatko Vadim (5.5); Maletin Pavel (5.5) drew with Pantsulaia Levan (5.5); Guseinov Gadir (5.5) bt Geetha Narayanan Gopal (4.5); Anastasian Ashot (5.5) bt Aleksandrov Aleksej (4.5); Kotanjian Tigran (5.5) bt Fedorov Alexei (4.5); Adhiban B (4.5) lost to Bocharov Dmitry (5.5); Kotsur Pavel (5) drew with Arun Prasad S (5); Iordachescu Viorel (5) bt Ramnath Bhuvanesh R (4.5).

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