Tuesday, May 01, 2007
9th Dubai Open Chess Championship
Four Grandmasters tied for first after the final round of the 9th Dubai Open Chess Championship held at the Dubai Chess & Culture Club from 22 to 30 April 2007 with a total prize fund of US$45,000.
Among the 126 players from 24 countries, including 29 Grandmasters , 18 International Masters , 25 FIDE Masters, GMs Levan Pantsulaia (2616) of Georgia, Amir Bagheri (2481) of Iran, Gadir Guseinov (2586) and Sarha Guliev (2486) of Azerbaija clinched the Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Cup with a high score of 7 points each.
Other elite grandmansters who have made it to the magic 10 honour rolls were GMs Tamaz Gelashvili (2605) of Georgia, Darmen Sadvakasov (2618) of Khazakistan, Susanto Megaranto (2530) of Indonesia, Ashot Anastasian (2552) of Armenia, Ghaem Maghami Ehsan (2599) of Iran and Mikheil Mchedlishvili (2609) of Georgia with 6.5 points each.
The event was a great success not only for the winners but also for the Filipino chessers who have tested their skills and had a brilliant game against super grandmasters and distiguished international masters.
Among the Filipino woodpushers who have proved their skills and displayed thier exceptional talents were National Master Rustum Tolentino (2261) who finished with 4.5 points, FIDE Master Antonio Molina (2196) with 4.0 points, Ernie Yap (2067) with 3.5 points and Axel Valerio (1861) with 2.5 points. The elo points they have gained and the learning experience they have obtained from this strong tournament is beyond a victory they deserve.
Congratulations to Rutum, Tony, Ernie and Axel on behalf of the Filipino Chess Players League!!!
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TOURNAMENT PHOTO
Philippine National Master Rustum Tolentino
FIDE Master Antonio Molina
FIDE Rated Player Ernie Yap
FIDE Rated Player Axel John Valerio (12 years old, the next grandmaster in the making)
FIDE International Arbiter Toti Abundo
