30th Abu Dhabi Masters R8: Leon Luke Mendonca rejoins the lead

by Shahid Ahmed - 24/08/2024

GM Shamsiddin Vokhidov (UZB) drew with GM Raunak Sadhwani to maintain his lead going into the last round of 30th Abu Dhabi Masters 2024. GM Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB) halted Brazil no.1, GM Luis Paulo Supi's winning streak. GM Leon Luke Mendonca scored a fantastic win over compatriot GM S L Narayanan. GM David Paravyan scored a win over GM Volodar Murzin. Four players - Yakubboev, Vokhidov, Paravyan and Leon are the leaders 6.5/8 each. Raunak, GM Pranav V and GM Aravindh Chithambaram are trailing by a half point at 6/8 each. Leon will face Yakubboev for the battle of first place. Round 9 starts today at 10 a.m. local time, 11:30 a.m. IST. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy

Raunak, Pranav V and Aravindh in the chase

GM Leon Luke Mendonca is in a four-way lead 6.5/8

GM Shamsiddin Vokhidov (UZB) - GM Raunak Sadhwani (pictured): 0.5-0.5

Leon - S L Narayanan

Position after 22.f6

Both GM Leon Luke Mendonca (2621) and GM S L Narayanan (2649) were ready to launch a devastating attack on their opponent's king. It was Leon whose pawn reached made the first strike 22.f6 Bf8 23.fxg7 Bxg7 24.Nh5 b3 25.Rc1 bxa2+ 26.Ka1 using his opponent's pawn as a shield a3 27.Qf4 Nxd3 28.cxd3 axb2+ 29.Bxb2 Qe7 30.Rxc8+ Rxc8 31.Qg4 instead 31.Rh3 would have probably ended this slightly earlier. Nevertheless, 31.Qg4 also leads to a win, it's just that White needed to find some precise moves which Leon managed to find without any difficulty.

GM Leon Luke Mendonca played a fantastic game to beat GM S L Narayanan

GM Aravindh Chithambaram - GM Ihor Samunenkov (UKR): 1-0

GM Jiner Zhu (CHN) - GM Pranav V: 0-1

GM Jingyao Tin (SGP) - IM Harikrishnan A Ra: 0.5-0.5

For more Round 8 photos, please click here.

A total of 213 players including 49 GMs, 71 IMs, 2 WGMs and 6 WIMs are taking part from 44 countries across the world. The tournament is being organized by Abu Dhabi Chess Club & Mind Games from 15th to 24th August 2024 at Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort in Abu Dhabi Corniche Abu Dhabi, UAE. The nine-round Swiss league tournament has a time control of 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move no.1.

Replay Round 8 games

Round 8 results

Rd.	Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
8	1	13	GM	Vokhidov Shamsiddin	2643	6	½ - ½	5½	GM	Sadhwani Raunak	2653	8
8	3	15	GM	Mendonca Leon Luke	2621	5½	1 - 0	5½	GM	Narayanan S L	2649	10
8	5	2	GM	Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.	2703	5	1 - 0	5½	GM	Samunenkov Ihor	2517	38
8	7	4	GM	Sindarov Javokhir	2674	5	1 - 0	5	GM	Adhiban B.	2532	33
8	9	50	GM	Zhu Jiner	2479	5	0 - 1	5	GM	Pranav V	2598	21
8	10	25	GM	Tin Jingyao	2575	5	½ - ½	5	IM	Harikrishnan.A.Ra	2468	58
8	15	11	GM	Puranik Abhimanyu	2649	4½	½ - ½	4½	IM	Akbas Umut Ata	2452	68
8	18	61	IM	Seemann Jakub	2462	4½	1 - 0	4½	GM	Pranesh M	2598	22
8	19	67	GM	Prraneeth Vuppala	2456	4½	½ - ½	4½	GM	Bharath Subramaniyam H	2566	27
8	20	71	FM	Goutham Krishna H	2446	4½	½ - ½	4½	IM	Movahed Sina	2530	36

Details

Standings after Round 8

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB2	TB3
1	7	GM	Yakubboev, Nodirbek	UZB	2655	6,5	38	33
2	13	GM	Vokhidov, Shamsiddin	UZB	2643	6,5	36	32
3	18	GM	Paravyan, David	FID	2600	6,5	36	32
4	15	GM	Mendonca, Leon Luke	IND	2621	6,5	35	31,5
5	1	GM	Tabatabaei, M. Amin	IRI	2712	6	36,5	32,5
6	8	GM	Sadhwani, Raunak	IND	2653	6	36,5	32
7	21	GM	Pranav, V	IND	2598	6	36,5	32
8	4	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	UZB	2674	6	36	32
9	5	GM	Anton Guijarro, David	ESP	2669	6	34	30
10	2	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	IND	2703	6	34	30

Details

Round 9 pairings

Rd.	Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
9	1	15	GM	Mendonca Leon Luke	2621	6½	6½	GM	Yakubboev Nodirbek	2655	7
9	4	21	GM	Pranav V	2598	6	6	GM	Aravindh Chithambaram Vr.	2703	2
9	5	8	GM	Sadhwani Raunak	2653	6	6	GM	Sindarov Javokhir	2674	4
9	6	10	GM	Narayanan S L	2649	5½	6	IM	Quizon Daniel	2457	66
9	11	38	GM	Samunenkov Ihor	2517	5½	5½	IM	Harsh Suresh	2418	88
9	12	90	IM	Nigmatov Ortik	2415	5½	5½	IM	Harikrishnan.A.Ra	2468	58
9	14	74	FM	Mamedov Edgar	2443	5	5	GM	Puranik Abhimanyu	2649	11
9	15	16	GM	Theodorou Nikolas	2619	5	5	GM	Prraneeth Vuppala	2456	67
9	16	20	IM	Erdogmus Yagiz Kaan	2599	5	5	FM	Goutham Krishna H	2446	71
9	17	27	GM	Bharath Subramaniyam H	2566	5	5		Kong Xiangrui	2445	73

Details

Links

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