Top seed posts another win to stay on top

Igor Kurnosov shares lead at Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival
Top seed posts another win to stay in top heap
By Yasir Abbasher, Senior Reporter
Published: 15:29 July 2, 2013

Abu Dhabi: Russian Grand Master Igor Kurnosov continued to enjoy the lead in the Masters Championship of the Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival after beating Egyptian International Master Samy Shoker in the second round on Monday to total two points.

Shoker is the African nominee to take part in the finals of the World Chess Championship, but he lacked the experience to beat the Russian top seed despite making an attacking start to the game.

Kurnosov was joined at the top by four other players — GM Aleksandr Rakhmanov of Russia, who beat IM Ulvi Bajarani from Azerbaijan, French GM Andrei Istratescu, who got the better of Romanian GM Berescu Alin-Mile, Azeri GM Gadir Guseinov, and GM Mircea-Emilian Parligras from Romania.

Another big result in the second round was achieved by young IM R. Rajpara Ankit from India, who beat fifth seed GM Sergey Volkov from Russia.

Arab and African GM Essam Al Jindi from Egypt was forced to settle for a tie with WGM Dinara Saduakassova from Kazakhstan, who is the World Junior Girls’ Champion.

In the third round, Rakhmanov will face Istratescu and Guseinov will play against Parligras.

A total of 28 players shared the leadership of the open tournament with two points each from as many matches.

Iraqi Nameer Esmail beat Indian women’s player Samyktha in the first table, while UAE youngster Sultan Al Za’abi forced Filipino Martin Marcos to settle for a draw in the second table. Indian Rahul Raguveer lost in the third against Filipino Antonio Molina while, in the fourth, Bahraini Ziad Janahi drew with Sudanese Khalifa Al Moudi.

In the third round, Greek Theodore Fardocas, one of the favourites to win the title, will play against UAE’s Eisa Al Mazarig, while Anusweud from India will face Nameer.

In the under-15 juniors tournament, the UAE’s Shook Ahmad, from Abu Dhabi Chess and Culture Club, sprang a surprise. The seven-year-old won her second match in a row by beating India’s A. Kumar to share the leadership with 22 other players, mostly from the UAE.

“Despite the fact that it was only the second day of competition, the festival is registering great success and the players are showing high standards,” Hussain Abdullah Khoury, chairman of organisers Abu Dhabi Chess and Culture Club, told Gulf News on Tuesday.

“We are happy with the turn-up of fans to the matches, especially in the Masters Championship, where the Grand Masters are showing their best against each other,” he said.

Source: http://gulfnews.com