Uzbek GM Alexi Barsov emerged champion of the Blitz tournament held on Thursday during the ongoing 11th Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival. In the children's tournament, Tural Farzaliev from Azerbaijan, snatched the lead, one round before its end by beating former leader Salim Abdul Rahman of the UAE in the sixth round.

The Blitz championship which was opened by Ibrahim Al Bannay, the President of the Arab Chess Federation, witnessed a tough competition between the grand masters. In all 80 players took part in the event.

The players were divided into eight groups of ten each with the two top players from each group proceeding to the second round. After interesting and thrilling competition, four players were promoted to the final round including Brasov, his countryman GM Marat Dzhumaev, GM Peter Szekely, from Hungary, and Paveli Kotsur, from Kazakhstan.

Brasov beat Dzhumaev to win the first place while Szekely defeated Kotsur to finish third.

In the Children Tournament, UAE's Salim Abdul Rahman, the Arab under 10 champion, lost his leadership to Farzaliev who became the sole leader with 5.5 points.