Dubai: Grandmaster (GM) Salem Saleh defeated co-leader GM Viorel Iordachescu of Moldova to wrest the solo leadership after the seventh round, but the Emirati top-seed settled for a draw with Azerbaijan’s GM Elmar Magerramov in the eighth round to once again share the lead with two others going into the final round of 14th Allegiance to Zayed Chess Tournament at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club.
After picking up 1.5 points from two matches Monday night, Saleh now has seven points for joint first place with Spain’s GM Viktor Moskalenko and Egypt’s International Master (IM) Fouad El Taher.
Moskalenko registered two points after winning both his matches Monday night against the UAE’s Fide Master (FM) Saeed Ishaq and the Philippines’ Dennis San Juan to catch up with Saleh. El Taher likewise won back-to-back against the Philippines’ Roberto Carandang and Tunisia’s IM Kamel Njili.
Saleh will take on Fouad at the top board in Tuesday night’s final round, while Moskalenko will be matched up against Cuba’s GM Walter Arencibia on second board. Arencibia and Magerramov occupy joint second place with 6.5 points each.
Iordachescu leads a group of nine players at joint third place with six points, including Ishaq, Njili, San Juan and Carandang. Others with six points are Serbia’s Woman International Master (WIM) Ljilja Drljevic, Syria’s Talal Hilwani and the Philippines’ Franz Barretto and Joseph Rombaua.
The final round of the rapid chess event, a yearly tribute to the late UAE President His Highness Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, will start at 10pm followed by the awarding ceremony. The top 10 finishers, along with the top Emirati and Dubai Chess Club players, will receive cash prizes.
Organisers said many of the 126 board warriors competing in the event are also expected to take part in a team blitz tournament on May 28 to 29, which the club is also hosting as part of activities during Ramadan.
