Tabatabaei wins Al Ain Spring Chess Festival Blitz 2023, Arjun Erigaisi second and Raunak third

by Shahid Ahmed - 27/05/2023

GM Arjun Erigaisi does not plan on slowing down. After winning 6th Sharjah Masters, he went to Al Ain to play in the Al Ain Spring Chess Festival Blitz 2023. Iran no.2 GM M Amin Tabatabaei scored 8.5/11 to finish first. His sole loss of the event was against the eventual second runner-up, GM Raunak Sadhwani. Five players - GM Arjun Erigaisi, Raunak, GM Adham Fawzy (EGY), GM Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) and GM Viorel Iordachescu (MDA) scored 8/11 each. They were placed second to fifth according to tie-breaks. All top ten finishers lost at least one game each. The total prize fund of the tournament was 20000 AED (approx. ₹449640). The top three prizes were 5000 + trophy, 4000 and 3000 AED along with a medal each respectively. Arjun and Raunak won ₹89928 and ₹67446 approx. The one-day blitz rating tournament was organized by Al-Ain Chess Club & Mind Games. Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Only GMs in top ten

Apart from Arjun and Raunak, GM S L Narayanan and GM Leon Luke Mendonca are the only two other Indians to make a top ten finish. They scored 7.5/11 and 7/11 each to secure seventh and eighth place respectively.

Champion - GM M Amin Tabatabaei (IRI) 8.5/11 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Runner-up - GM Arjun Erigaisi 8/11 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Second Runner-up - GM Raunak Sadhwani 8/11 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Top 3 (L to R) - 3rd GM Raunak Sadhwani 8/11, 2nd GM Arjun Erigaisi 8/11 and 1st GM M Amin Tabatabaei (IRI) 8.5/11 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

4th GM Adham Fawzy (EGY) 8/11 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

5th GM Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) 8/11 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Best Woman - WIM Cecile Haussernot (FRA) 6.5/11 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

For more photos, please click here.

When You Get Checkmated with a Smile | GM Leon Mendonca vs Haj Bakri Abd Algouni | Video: ChessBase India

Can 11-Year-Old Andria win the Endgame with the correct technique? | Video: ChessBase India

Intense Loud Clock Banging | Amin Tabatabaei vs Temur Kuybokarov | Video: ChessBase India

A total of 50 players including 12 GMs, an IM and a WIM participated from 18 countries across the world. The one-day nine-round Swiss league Blitz Rating tournament was organized by Al-Ain Chess Club & Mind Games at Hili Rotana Hotel in Al Ain, UAE on 26th May 2023. The time control for the event was 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment from move no.1.

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	5	GM	Tabatabaei, M. Amin	IRI	2575	8,5	0	76	71
2	1	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	IND	2719	8	0	77,5	71,5
3	4	GM	Sadhwani, Raunak	IND	2631	8	0	76,5	71,5
4	9	GM	Fawzy, Adham	EGY	2539	8	0	76	71
5	3	GM	Maghsoodloo, Parham	IRI	2655	8	0	75,5	71
6	8	GM	Iordachescu, Viorel	MDA	2552	8	0	74,5	70
7	7	GM	Narayanan.S.L,	IND	2563	7,5	0	73	68,5
8	10	GM	Mendonca, Leon Luke	IND	2464	7	0	78	73
9	2	GM	Niemann, Hans Moke	USA	2708	7	0	76,5	71,5
10	11	GM	Kuybokarov, Temur	AUS	2458	7	0	73	69

Details

Links

Official site

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