Jobava juggernaut at Abu Dhabi Masters 2019

by Shahid Ahmed
8/27/2019 – The former Georgia no.1 Baadur Jobava won the 26th edition of Abu Dhabi Chess Festival by scoring 8.0/9. Jobava finished sole first, a full point ahead of the runner-up young Uzbek GM Nodirbek Yakubboev at 7.0/9. Eight player tied for the third place at 6½/9, current World Junior Champion Parham Maghsoodloo secured the second runner-up position due to a better tie-break score. | Photo: Rupali Mullick
Meanwhile, 1.b3 has also found its way into the practice of today's world elite, and now finally a modern top ten player has taken on the subject for ChessBase: none other than Grandmaster Wesley So!

Jobava is back

It is not like that Jobava took a hiatus or anything, but a major tournament win was a long overdue for Jobava. We had an inkling about Jobava making a comeback at the halfway of the tournament when he was leading the Masters group by a half point and finished the Blitz as a runner-up with a score of 9.0/11.

The tournament witnessed 124 titled players including 48 GMs, 7 WGMs, 23 IMs and 10 WIMs out of 150 players from 28 countries with India having the highest number of participants of 76.

Jobava delivered a performance of 2720 at the Blitz event which essentially shows his true strength.

Jobava receives his Blitz prize | Photo: Adchessfestival

Rd. Bo. SNo   Name Rtg FED Pts. Res.
1 3 89 FM Khouri Ahmed Abbas 1833 UAE 6,0 w 1
2 3 51 IM Njili Kamel 2202 TUN 5,0 s 1
3 3 30 GM Sindarov Javokhir 2443 UZB 6,5 w 1
4 3 24 IM Costachi Mihnea 2517 ROU 6,5 s 1
5 1 15 GM Socko Bartosz 2545 POL 7,0 s ½
6 3 16 GM Vasquez Schroeder Rodrigo 2543 CHI 7,5 w 1
7 1 14 GM Aravindh Chithambaram Vr. 2546 IND 8,0 s 1
8 1 12 GM Praggnanandhaa R 2579 IND 9,0 w ½
9 2 13 GM Esipenko Andrey 2571 RUS 8,5 s ½
10 2 19 GM Antipov Mikhail Al. 2530 RUS 8,0 w 1
11 1 2 GM Maghsoodloo Parham 2729 IRI 9,5 w ½

The Jobava juggernaut started with blitz

Jobava might have made a last round draw against the eventual Blitz champion, however he got his revenge on the following day in the main event.

Rd. Bo. SNo   Name Rtg FED Pts. Res.
1 26 100 WGM Gomes Mary Ann 2286 IND 4,0 s 1
2 18 69 IM Agmanov Zhandos 2402 KAZ 5,5 w 1
3 9 39 GM Xu Yi 2531 CHN 5,5 s 1
4 2 11 GM Indjic Aleksandar 2617 SRB 6,5 w 1
5 1 3 GM Salem A.R. Saleh 2668 UAE 6,5 s 1
6 1 4 GM Maghsoodloo Parham 2656 IRI 6,5 w 1
7 1 2 GM Ni Hua 2668 CHN 6,5 s ½
8 1 13 GM Bartel Mateusz 2612 POL 6,5 w 1
9 1 28 GM Yakubboev Nodirbek 2574 UZB 7,0 s ½

Jobava's staggering streak in the main tournament

After an uneventful draw against Ni Hua in the seventh round, Jobava went back to his favourite trustworthy Larsen opening against Polish GM Mateusz Bartel in the eighth round.

 
Jobava - Bartel, round 8
Position after 34...Qf5

Bartel blundered badly with 34...♛f5, after which it became impossible for Jobava to miss the winning continuation.

 
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1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 d6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Ne2 c6 4...Nc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Nxd4 Nxd4 7.Qxd4 d5 8.Nc3 Be7 9.0-0-0 Be6 10.e4 c5 11.Qa4+ Bd7 12.Bb5 d4 13.Bxd7+ Nxd7 14.Nd5 1/2-1/2 (28) Cabarkapa,N (2451)-Draskovic,L (2444) Niksic 2018 5.g3N Predecessor: 5.d4 e4 6.Nbc3 d5 7.Nf4 Bd6 8.Qd2 Bf5 9.Nce2 g5 10.Ng3 Bg6 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Be2 0-1 (30) Aldridge,A (1946)-Garbett,P (2329) Queenstown 2009 5...h5 6.h3 A01: Nimzowitsch-Larsen Opening Bf5 7.Bg2 Be4 8.Bxe4 The position is equal. Nxe4 9.d3 Nf6 10.Nd2 Nbd7 11.0-0 Qe7 12.Kg2 g6 13.a4 Bg7 14.e4 0-0 15.Nc4 Nh7 16.Ba3 Nc5 17.Nc3 Rad8 18.b4 Ne6! 19.b5 h4 20.a5 a6 21.bxc6 bxc6 22.Rb1 f5 22...Qc7= keeps the balance. 23.Rb6± Nd4
24.Rxa6? 24.Nxd6!± Black must now prevent Ndb5. Rxd6 25.Ne2 24...Ng5 24...hxg3 25.exf5 25.fxg3 f4 25...c5 25.exf5= hxg3 26.fxg3 Threatens to win with h4. gxf5 27.Ne2       And now Nxd4 would win. White fights for an advantage. Nde6
28.h4 White should try 28.Ng1!± 28...f4! aiming for ...f3+. 29.Bxd6 Rxd6 30.hxg5 Rd5 31.Nc3 Qg4 is the strong threat. Nxg5?       31...e4!= and Black has nothing to worry. 32.Nxd5 32.Nxe4 Nxg5 33.Ncd2 f3+ 34.Nxf3 Nxf3= 32...cxd5 32.Nxd5+- cxd5 33.Nxe5 33.Nd2 33...Qxe5 34.gxf4 Qf5? 34...Rxf4 35.Ra8+ Bf8 35.Qh5 Weaker is 35.fxg5 Qxg5+ 36.Kh1 Qh4+ 37.Kg2 Rxf1= 35...Qc8 36.Rg6 Not 36.Qxg5 Qxa6 37.Qxd5+ Rf7 36...Nh7 37.Qxd5+ Rf7 38.Rg1 Nf8 39.Rg3 Qa6
39...Qe6+- 40.Qg5 Qe8 40.Rxg7+! Kxg7 41.Kh2+ Ng6 42.f5       Pin. Accuracy: White = 54%, Black = 30%. 1–0
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Jobava,B2594Bartel,M26001–02019A0126th Abu Dhabi Master 20198.1

Since Jobava was leading by a full point heading into the final round of the tournament against young Uzbek GM Nodirbek Yakubboev, they made a 'Grandmaster draw' according to Yakubboev which guaranteed Jobava the first place. Jobava performing at 2908 could be a sign of things to come.

Jobava talks about his performance, Bruce Lee, Yin-Yang and more | Video: Rupali Mullick

Yakubboev gets a lucky win against Murali | Photo: Rupali Mullick

Nodirbek Yakubboev made a short draw with Russian GM Andrey Esipenko and in the final round against eventual champion Jobava. However, he got extremely lucky in round 8 against Indian GM Murali Karthikeyan who missed an opportunity to get decisive advantage. 

 
Yakubboev - Murali, round 8
Position after 26.Nc2

Murali got a few chances before to gain substantial advantage, but after 26.♘c2, things just turned into Black's favour until he did not realize it and played 26...♝xb5 instead.

 
Position after 35.Qg4

Black's last winning opportunity came after 35.♕g4 when Murali blundered 35...♜f4 and lost all his advantage. If he had planned to regroup his pieces on the queenside with 35...♞e4, well things could have been a lot different from what happened.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.h3 0-0 6.Be3 Na6 7.Nf3 e5 8.d5 Nh5 9.g3 6 E90: King's Indian: Classical: Early deviations and h3 f5 10.exf5 gxf5 11.Nh4 White is slightly better. Nf6 12.Be2N Predecessor: 12.Qd2 Nc5 13.0-0-0 b6 14.Rg1 a5 15.Qc2 a4 16.a3 Bd7 1/2-1/2 (45) Urkedal,F (2537) -Karthikeyan,M (2591) Stockholm 2018 12...c5 12...c6= remains equal. 13.Qb1 13.Bg5± 13...f4 14.Bd2 fxg3 15.fxg3 e4 16.a3 Qe7 Threatening ...e3. 17.Ng2 17.Bg5!± 17...b5= 18.cxb5 Nc7 19.Qa2 White should play 19.Bg5= 19...a6 20.Ne3? 20.bxa6 Nd7 21.0-0-0 20...axb5-+ 21.Nxb5 Nxb5 22.Bxb5 Rb8 23.a4 Nh5 24.0-0-0 Bd7 25.Qc4 Rf3 26.Nc2? 26.Rhg1 is a better defense. 26...Bxb5 26...Qf6 27.Bc3 Qg5+ 28.Kb1 28.Bd2 e3 29.Nxe3 Rxe3-+ 28...Bxc3 29.bxc3 Qe5-+ 27.axb5 Qe8       Black wants a kill. 27...Nxg3 28.Rhg1 27...Rxg3 28.Rhe1 28.Na3 Nxg3 29.Rhg1 Qe5 30.Bc3 Qg5+ 30...Rxc3+ 31.bxc3 Ne2+ 32.Qxe2= 31.Kc2 Bxc3 32.bxc3 Kh8 33.Kb3 Qe5 34.Rge1 e3 35.Qg4
35.Qd3 Qf4 36.Rc1 35...Rf4? 35...Ne4!-+       36.Nb1
36...c4+!       37.Kb4 Rf4 36.Qe6 c4+ 37.Kb4 Qxe6? 37...Qg7!= and Black stays safe. 38.Qxe3 38.Qxd6 Ne4 38...Qc7 38.dxe6+- e2? 38...Re4± was called for. 39.Rd5 39.Rxd6 Nf5± 39.Nxc4 e2± 39...e2 39.Rxd6 Rf1? 39...Re4 40.Nc2 40.Nxc4 Nf5 40...Rf8 40.e7 Rxe1 41.Rd8+       Double Attack. White mates. Kg7 42.Rxb8 Rb1+ 43.Nxb1 e1Q 44.e8Q Qxb1+ 45.Ka5 Nf5 46.Qg8+       Double Attack Kh6 47.Rb6+ Accuracy: White = 39%, Black = 43%. 1–0
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Yakubboev,N2575Karthikeyan,M26131–02019E7126th Abu Dhabi Master 20198.3

Yakubboev talks about getting a lucky win against Murali and more | Video: Rupali Mullick

Reigning World Junior champion and Abu Dhabi Blitz winner GM Parham Maghsoodloo made a tepid draw with Turkish GM Emre Can in round 7. His final round game against Ni Hua was also another lacklustre draw arising out of unusual Dutch system. However, in round 8, Parham employed the Bird's opening to surprise the Belarusian GM Aleksej Aleksandrov.

 
Maghsoodloo - Aleksandrov, round 8
Position after 43...g5

Black's 43...g5 was the point of no return as Maghsoodloo recognized and immediately punished it 44.♘xg5 which only increased his material advantage and made it unsurmountable.

 
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1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 c5 7.c3 d4 A03: Bird's Opening with 1...d5 7...Nc6 8.Na3 Re8 9.Nh4 b6 10.e4 dxe4 11.Qa4 Qxd3 12.Qxc6 Bd7 13.Qc7 Ng4 14.Re1 Bd4+ 15.cxd4 Qxd4+ 16.Be3 Nxe3 1-0 (58) Carlsen,M (2837)-Adams,M (2715) London 2017 8.e4 dxe3 9.Bxe3 Qc7 The position is equal. 10.Na3 e6N Predecessor: 10...Be6 11.d4 Nbd7 12.Qe2 Rfe8 13.Rfe1 a6 14.dxc5 Nxc5 1-0 (83) Trent,L (2385)-Mueller,M (2272) Germany 2019 11.Qe2 b6 12.f5       White is on the roll. exf5 13.Bf4 Qd8! 14.Ne1 Nd5 15.c4! Bb7 16.cxd5 Bxd5 17.Nb5 Nc7 is the strong threat. Nc6 18.Nf3 Qd7 19.Qd2 Rad8 20.Nc3 Bxf3 21.Rxf3 Ne5 22.Bxe5 Bxe5 23.Kh1 Bg7 24.Rd1 a6 25.Rff1 h5 26.Qc2 White should try 26.Nd5± 26...Rfe8 27.Nd5 Re6 28.Nf4 Rd6 29.Rde1 Bh6 30.Qc4 a5 31.b3 Rd4 32.Qa6 Qd6 33.Qb7 h4 34.Ne2       Rxd3 35.gxh4 Bd2 36.Rd1 Kg7 37.Ng1 Qf6 38.Nf3 Bf4 39.Rxd3 Rxd3 40.Qa6 Re3 41.Qc4 Bc7 42.Qd5 42.Rd1± 42...Re4 42...Qd6 43.Qxd6 Bxd6 43.h5± g5? 43...a4± 44.hxg6 fxg6 44.Nxg5+- Qxg5 45.Bxe4       Pin Qh4 46.h6+ Better is 46.Rg1++- Kf8 47.Qd2 47.Qa8+ Ke7 47...fxe4 48.Qh6+ Ke7 49.Qg5+ Qxg5 50.Rxg5 46...Qxh6?
46...Kf8± 47.Qd2 47.Qa8+ Ke7= 47...fxe4 47.Rf2! Qc1+ 48.Kg2 Qg5+ 49.Kf1 Threatens to win with Rg2! Qc1+ 50.Ke2 Qb2+
51.Kf3! fxe4+
52.Kg2!       Qe5 53.Qxf7+ Accuracy: White = 82%, Black = 40%. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Maghsoodloo,P2656Aleksandrov,A25711–02019A0326th Abu Dhabi Master 20198.5

There were several norms made in this event. Rupali Mullick caught up with few of them for interviews:

Nandhidhaa finally becomes a WGM | Video: Rupali Mullick

India's latest IM Rathanvel won ₹500000 (USD $1,400) by playing a 12-hour long tournament | Video: Rupali Mullick

FM Nitish Belurkar on making his third IM-norm | Video: Rupali Mullick

Senthil Maran makes his maiden IM-norm on his fifth tour at Abu Dhabi | Video: Rupali Mullick

Total ten norms were made in total including seven IM, two WGM, a WIM-norm.

IM-norms: CM Ughur Ilyasli (AZE, 2131), FM Rathanvel V S (IND, 2367), CM Raahil Mullick (IND, 2355), CM Aronyak Ghosh (IND, 2332), FM Nitish Belurkar (IND, 2271), Senthil Maran K (IND, 2222) and M Mahalakshmi (IND, 2173).

WGM-norms: FM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ, 2375) and WIM P V Nandhidhaa (IND, 2332).

WIM-norms: WFM Tarini Goyal (IND, 2038).

Leko wins both Rapid and Blitz match

Peter Leko beat Alexander Morozevich 5:1 in Rapid and remained undefeated. Morozevich even tried 1.g3 and Bird's in the six-game Rapid Challenge. In Blitz, Leko defeated Morozevich by 6½:3½, where Leko suffered his only loss in the final game in the Blitz Challenge.

Leko triumphs over Morozevich in Abu Dhabi Challenge 2019 | Photo: Adchessfestival

Indian domination in the Junior section

All top five positions in the Junior section was won by Indians. FM Pranesh M scored unbeaten 8.0/9 to win it. Three players finished at tied second with 7½/9, they are CM Kushagra Mohan, FM L R Srihari, FM Aaryan Varshney respectively.

Pranesh with his champion's trophy, medal and prize | Photo: Rupali Mullick

All Masters games

 
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Final standings in Masters (top 20)

Rk. Name Pts.
1 Jobava Baadur 8,0
2 Yakubboev Nodirbek 7,0
3 Maghsoodloo Parham 6,5
4 Socko Bartosz 6,5
5 Indjic Aleksandar 6,5
6 Salem A.R. Saleh 6,5
7 Petrosyan Manuel 6,5
8 Bartel Mateusz 6,5
9 Ni Hua 6,5
10 Tabatabaei M.Amin 6,5
11 Aryan Chopra 6,0
12 Zubov Alexander 6,0
13 Karthikeyan Murali 6,0
14 Sengupta Deep 6,0
15 Can Emre 6,0
16 Abdusattorov Nodirbek 6,0
17 Esipenko Andrey 6,0
18 Santos Latasa Jaime 6,0
19 Aravindh Chithambaram Vr. 6,0
20 Vaibhav Suri 6,0

Complete standings

Links

Shahid Ahmed is the senior coordinator and editor of ChessBase India. He enjoys covering chess tournaments and also likes to play in chess events from time to time.

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