
The
Sixth Dubai Open Chess Championship was held from April 18th to 28th, 2004,
in Dubai City in the United Arab Emirates. The venue was the Dubai Chess and
Culture Club.
The tournament was a nine round Swiss, the time control one hour and 30 minutes
for the whole game, with an incremental time of 30 seconds per move for both
sides.
The winner was awarded custody of Sheikh Rashed Bin Hamdan Al Mactoum Cup
(picture right). In addition there are the following prize funds: 1st: $5,000,
2nd: $4,000, 3rd: $3,500, 4th: $3000 up to 14th $900, with special prizes worth
$6,000 for local players. The total prize fund is $40,000.
Final standings
1.
|
Mamedyarov, Shakriyar |
7.0
|
2.
|
Nisipeanu, Liviu-Dieter; Sasikiran, Krishnan; Iordachesvu, Viorel; Vladimirov,
Evgeny; Harikrishna, P.; Miroshnichenko, Evgenij; Eljanov, Pavel; Minasian,
Artashes; Al-Modiahki, Mohamad; Goloshchapov, Alexander; Carlsen, Magnus;
Mamedov, Rauf |
6.5 |
14.
|
Fedorov, Alexei; Jobava, Baadur; Izoria, Zviad; Efimenko, Zahar; Gashimov,
Vugar; Gagunashvili, Merab; Ghaem Maghami, Ehsan; Gelashvili, Tamaz; Iuldachev,
Saidali; Kruppa, Yuri; Dizdar, Goran; Al Sayed, Mohamad N. |
6.0 |
26.
|
Gleizerov, Evgeny; Anastasian, Ashot; Ulibin, Mikhail; Korobov, Anton;
Kuzmin, Alexey; Sturua, Zurab; Dzhumaev, Marat; Mamedov, Nidjat; Megaranto,
Susanto; Hakki, Imad; Mariano, Nelson; Abedi, Ali |
5.5 |
The
total number of players was 138, including 39 GMs, 23 IMs and 5 WGMs. The biggest
sensation of the tournament was the completion (with one round to spare) of
a third GM norm by Magnus Carlsen, with an overall performance of 2678. This
talented Norwegian player is just 13 years old. We will return to Magnus and
his performance in a separate article.
Links
Picture report from Dubai
By Andreas Albers

Departure from Europe: the last time we are going to see rain in ten days

Arrival at Dubai international airport

En route to the hotel – the street signs are in Arabic and English (Roman)

Oriental architecture with luxurious, modern interior

The spectacular Jumeira Hotel on the beach front

The "seven star" Burj Arab hotel (background), next to the Wild Wadi
water park

The lobby of the Burj Arab

The stairways

Look up – if you dare
Top seed Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu worked out that if he won the first prize
in the tournament he would be able to spend three nights with his wife in this
hotel.

The Dubai Chess and Culture Club

This "club" cost $20 million to build

Local prominence at the chess tournament

Players and foreign visitors

The playing hall

The little boy in the middle is Magnus Carlsen, who finished equal second

The rest room

The players in front of portraits of the rulers

Left Dieter Nisipeanu and wife, right organisers Mr. Ahmed und Kristian Simonson

In the Town Hall of Dubai

The museum in the Al Fahidi Fort

From the inside

Our photographer Andreas Albers (second from right) with friends and players