Nodirbek Yakubboev wins Abu Dhabi Chess Festival's Masters tournament

Uzbek chess player Nodirbek Yakubboev won the 2024 Abu Dhabi Chess Festival's Masters tournament and bagged a $30,000 check. The Uzbek grandmaster edged out GMs David Paravyan, Shamsiddin Vokhidov, Amin Tabatabaei, Leon Luke Mendonca, and IM Daniel Quizon on tiebreaks.

The 30th Abu Dhabi Chess Festival took place from August 14–25, with a time control of 90 minutes per game, plus a 30-second increment per move from the first move. The prize fund was $63,600. The event featured not only the Masters Tournament but also children's tournaments in various age categories, as well as tournaments for veterans, civil servants, and embassy staff.

The main event, a nine-round Swiss tournament, had 217 participants, including 50 grandmasters. Yakubboev, along with David Paravyan, Shamsiddin Vokhidov (also from Uzbekistan), Amin Tabatabaei, Leon Mendonca, and Daniel Quizon, all scored 7/9 points, but Yakubboev emerged as the winner due to superior tiebreak scores.

Yakubboev narrowly outscored Paravyan by just half a point in the Buchholz tiebreak system (which multiplies the points of opponents by the result of their games), earning $20,000 more in prize money, as the first prize was not split according to the Hort system.

According to the chess portal chess.com, Yakubboev defeated three players with an Elo rating below 2500 in the first three rounds, scored 2.5/3 against players with an Elo rating below 2600, and drew three games against players with an Elo rating above 2600.

Another Uzbek grandmaster, Shamsiddin Vokhidov, who finished in third place, was close to winning the tournament. In his game against Paravyan, he won a pawn early and entered the final stage with a decisive advantage, but was unable to convert it. He received a prize of $7,050.

According to the Uzbekistan Chess Federation, in the Open B group, Khudoyor Marayimov won with 8 points out of 9 rounds, remaining undefeated.

In the Ladies' group, Afruza Khamdamova secured first place with 6.5 points out of 7 rounds. She also earned the title of Women's International Master (WIM) and is only 15 years old this year.

In the Families group, the Yakubboev team finished in second place.

In the Schools G7 group, Uzbekistani Asmina Abdulazizova finished in third place.

In the Schools G15 group, Mumtozbegim Mansurova won a silver medal with 5.5 points out of 7 rounds.

#chess #Abu Dhabi