Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
The Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club (ACMG) secured victory in the UAE Cup Rapid Chess Team Championship, which was held over the weekend at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club.
The two-member team of Russian Grandmasters Vladislav Artemiev and Volodar Murzin went unbeaten across nine rounds, winning seven matches and drawing two to finish with 16 match points. Murzin, 19, the reigning World Rapid Chess Champion, and Artemiev, 27, who achieved a perfect 9/9 score, led Al Ain to claim the top prize of Dh12,000 from a total prize pool of Dh40k, sponsored by National Paint and Sidrat Alsalwa Beauty Centre.
Shams Club, represented by Moldova's GM Viorel Iordachescu and Morocco's IM Mokhliss El Adnani, finished second with 15 match points, to take away the runners-up cheque of Dh8k. Both teams were level at the halfway point after five rounds.
The UAE's top-rated GM Saleh Salem (UAE) combined with Egypt's GM Bassem Amiin to put Sharjah third in the final tally with 14 match points, prevailing in a tiebreak against Al Ain's second team (ACMG2) and Signature Club Master, who also finished with 14 points. Sharjah claimed Dh6,000 in prize money.
The second-string ACMG side fielded Russia's GM Danil Dubov and Iran's GM Parham Maghsoodloo, while Signature Club Master had GM Farrukh Amonatov (Tajikistan) and GM Asghar Golizadeh (Iran) in their ranks.
Other top-performing teams included We Chess, Sharjah Coaches, Al Ain ACMG3, EKCC1, and Signature Club Nexus, all finishing with 13 match points. Teams placing fourth to tenth received cash prizes ranging from 2,500 to 900 dirhams.
A record 116 teams from 33 countries participated in the Swiss-system tournament, which featured a rapid time control of 10 minutes plus a two-second increment per move. The competition attracted 14 Grandmasters and 10 International Masters.
Additional awards were presented in various categories, including best women's team, best Emirati teams, best under-14 teams, and best special needs team.
