
The event was staged in the Dubai Chess and Culture Club in Dubai, United
Arab Emirates. It was a nine-round Swiss event held under Fischer System of
90 minutes for entire match with 30 seconds additional time for each move.
At stake were the Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Cup and $40,000
in cash prizes, including special prizes for local, Arab and female players.

The winners: Fedorchuk, Sargissian and Petrosian
The tournament was won by Sergey Fedorchuk, Gabriel Sargissian and Tigran
L Petrosian, who tied for first with 7/9 points. 13 players shared second at
half a point less. Two IM norms were made by talented youngsters: Sethuraman
Panayapan, a 12-year-old school boy from Chennai, India, and So Wesley, the
youngest member of the Filipino squad for the Chess Olympiad.

The winner Sergey Fedorchuk with his trophy

Picture gallery

The Dubai Chess and Culture Club

H.H. Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan opening the event at the game Iziora –
Sadatnajafi

Presents for the participants at the start of the games

13-year-old Croatian WFM Lara Stock held out bravely for 36 moves against
GM Giorgi Kacheishvili, Georgia

TV and press interest in this multi-national event

Benjamin Hoareau of the Seychelles

WIM Kruttika Nadig (18, India), GM Darmen Sadvakasov (27, Kazakhstan),
WFM Lara Stock (13, Croatia). Lara made her second WGM norm in Dubai.

German chess tourists with the Iranian WGM Shadi Paridar

A bazar in Dubai

On the waterfront, slow and steady is the motto

Skiing in the desert – real snow in a Dubai mall
All pictures by Andreas Albers