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Al Ain Classic22nd to 30th December |
Of all the current and former elite players in the world, the one who has come closest to being the successor of former World Champion Mikhail Tal’s brilliant attacking style of play is Alexei Shirov. It is not a very big surprise, since in his youth Shirov studied under the guidance of fellow Latvian genius Tal.
Shirov has recorded a number of DVDs in the ChessBase studio
You can browse through the excellent Shirov DVDs here
Shirov has been among the elite players since the early 1990’s. He was ranked world number four in 1998. He is the winner of numerous international tournaments: Biel (1991), Ter Apel 1997, Monte Carlo (1998), Mérida (2000), Paul Keres Memorial Tournament in Tallinn (2004, 2005, 2011), M-Tel Masters (2009), Shanghai grand Slam Masters (2010), just to name a few. He has won some of the above tournaments even in the presence of the then World Champions. Shirov is a very well-regarded author and has written two books describing his best (and most brilliant!) games: Fire on Board and Fire on Board – Part 2.
Hearing Shirov’s name immediately brought to my mind the following famous position from one of his games. It is said that Shirov’s move inspired the British Chess Magazine to start a search for the 'Most Amazing Move' of all time.
Topalov-Shirov, Linares 1998
Position after 47.Kg1, Black to play, try to find the best plan for Black to convert his
material advantage. Remember the drawing tendencies of opposite coloured bishops.
It is not easy for Black to win this ending in the usual way because the bishop on c3 holds both the a-pawn and the d-pawn on the same diagonal. Moreover one can also note that the a-pawn has the promotion square of the 'wrong' colour. Therefore White will always have the idea of dissolving his two pawns and bishop for Black's d-f-g pawns while he gets his king to a1 to make a theoretical draw.
[Event "Linares"] [Site "?"] [Date "1998.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Topalov, Veselin"] [Black "Shirov, Alexei"] [Result "0-1"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/8/4kpp1/3p1b2/p6P/2B5/6P1/6K1 b - - 0 47"] [PlyCount "13"] [EventDate "1998.??.??"] [Source "Dvoretsky"] [SourceDate "2003.10.29"] 47... Bh3 $3 {Mark Dvoretsky, who analysed this in his famous 'Endgame Manual' says "The bishop is sacrificed for a single tempo - the one needed for the king to get to e4."} ({Dvoretsky - "Normal" play would bring White the draw without too much trouble, for instance:} 47... Kd6 $2 48. Kf2 $1 {Simplest.} ({ Although White also does not lose after} 48. Bxf6 $5 Kc5 49. Kf2 d4 50. Ke2 Kc4 51. Be7 Kc3 52. Kd1 $11) 48... Kc5 49. Ke3 $11) ({Dvoretsky -} 47... Be4 $2 48. Kf2 Kf5 {Idea 49...B:g2!} 49. g3 $1 a3 50. Ke3 Kg4 51. Bxf6 Kxg3 52. Kd2 Kf4 ({ on} 52... d4 53. Bxd4 Kxh4 54. Kc1 g5 55. Bc5 a2 56. Kb2 $11 {White need only give up his bishop for the g-pawn.}) 53. Be7 $1 {(while there's time, it's useful to force the enemy pawn onto the same color square as his bishop)} a2 54. Bf6 Bf5 55. Bg7 Ke4 56. Ba1 d4 57. Bb2 {(with the pawn at a3, White would risk falling into zugzwang here)} d3 58. Bc3 Kf4 59. Bb2 Kg4 60. Bf6 a1=Q 61. Bxa1 Kxh4 $11 {and we have transposed into the Berger - Kotlerman ending. ( a known drawn ending).}) 48. gxh3 (48. Kf2 Kf5 49. Kf3 {would not help in view of } Bxg2+ $1 50. Kxg2 Ke4 $19) 48... Kf5 49. Kf2 Ke4 $1 50. Bxf6 (50. Ke2 f5 $19 {Black has too many passed pawns.}) 50... d4 {[%cal Ga4a3] /\ a3} 51. Be7 (51. Ke2 a3 $19) 51... Kd3 {[%cal Gd3c2,Gd4d3] /\ Kc2, d3} 52. Bc5 Kc4 $1 ({But not } 52... Kc3 $2 53. Ke2) 53. Be7 Kb3 ({Also winning is} 53... Kc3 54. Ke1 Kc2 55. Bc5 d3 56. Bb4 a3 $19) ({The bishop cannot stop both the pawns on different diagonals after} 53... Kb3 54. Bc5 d3 55. Ke3 Kc2 56. Bb4 a3 $19) 0-1
It is not every day that one can find a move like this, but with an inherent romantic style of play one is bound to produce thrilling chess masterpieces every once in a while. There is therefore no doubt, that with the participation of Shirov the excitement in the tournament is bound to increase manifold. Looking forward to some fireworks on the board!
There are many other strong grandmasters playing in Al Ain. Let us make note of a few among them.
Former World Junior Bronze medallist and 2013 Ukrainian champion
Yuriy Kryvoruchko (2710) is second on the list according to the October 2015 ratings
Igor Kovalenko (2700), Latvian Champion in 2013 and 2014, is the third seed.
Alexander Areshchenko of Ukraine (2672) is seeded fourth. He is former World Youth U-14 Champion (2000) and has won the Ukrainian Championship in 2005.
Sergei Zhigalko of Belarus (2656) is fifth on the list. Silver medallist at the
World Junior 2009, he won the 2012 and 2013 Belarusian Championships.
Strong Ukrainian GMs who participated in the 2014 edition will be back this year: Alexander Kovchan (2591), Vladimir Onischuk (2612), Mihailo Oleksienko (2628), Martyn Kravtsiv (2621) and Yuriy Kryvoruchko (2710)
Former World Junior bronze medallist and three times winner of the African Individual Championships
grandmaster Amin Bassem (2636) will lead the Egyptian challenge [photo from World Cup 2015 website]
Aleksandr Rakhmanov (2637), winner of 2013 Dubai Open and
numerous strong blitz tournaments, will lead the Russian challenge.
Armenian grandmaster Tigran Petrosian (2625) has confirmed his entry. Above he is seen receiving the runner-up prize of the 2014 Al Ain Classic from Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Shakbooth Al-Nahyan. On the left is Saif Salem Lekhraibani Alnuaimi, the Secretary general of the Al Ain Chess and Culture Club and Head of the Organising Committee.
Romain Edouard (2636) will lead the French challenge. He has won numerous open
tournaments including the Dubai Open 2014. He tied for first in the 2015 World Open.
Gadir Guseinov (2636) of Azerbaijan will be among the players to watch out for. At the Baku
World Cup 2015 Gadir brought down the strong Czech grandmaster David Navara in the second round.
Young and upcoming grandmasters Diptayan Ghosh (2550)
and Vaibhav Suri (2561) will head the Indian challenge this year
There are many more reputed grandmasters and masters from various nationalities participating, all with superb performances to their name. You can find their names in the players list below.
| Sd. | Ti. | Name | Rtng | FED |
| 1 | GM | Shirov Alexei | 2715 | LAT |
| 2 | GM | Kryvoruchko Yuriy | 2710 | UKR |
| 3 | GM | Kovalenko Igor | 2700 | LAT |
| 4 | GM | Areshchenko Alexander | 2672 | UKR |
| 5 | GM | Zhigalko Sergei | 2656 | BLR |
| 6 | GM | Efimenko Zahar | 2647 | UKR |
| 7 | GM | Kuzubov Yuriy | 2641 | UKR |
| 8 | GM | Volokitin Andrei | 2639 | UKR |
| 9 | GM | Rakhmanov Aleksandr | 2637 | RUS |
| 10 | GM | Amin Bassem | 2636 | EGY |
| 11 | GM | Edouard Romain | 2636 | FRA |
| 12 | GM | Guseinov Gadir | 2634 | AZE |
| 13 | GM | Hovhannisyan Robert | 2630 | ARM |
| 14 | GM | Oleksiyenko Mykhaylo | 2628 | UKR |
| 15 | GM | Petrosian Tigran L. | 2625 | ARM |
| 16 | GM | Melkumyan Hrant | 2622 | ARM |
| 17 | GM | Kravtsiv Martyn | 2621 | UKR |
| 18 | GM | Vovk Andrey | 2619 | UKR |
| 19 | GM | Vovk Yuri | 2617 | UKR |
| 20 | GM | Onischuk Vladimir | 2612 | UKR |
| 21 | GM | Mchedlishvili Mikheil | 2607 | GEO |
| 22 | GM | Pashikian Arman | 2603 | ARM |
| 23 | GM | Ter-Sahakyan Samvel | 2601 | ARM |
| 24 | GM | Volkov Sergey | 2592 | RUS |
| 25 | GM | Bok Benjamin | 2591 | NED |
| 26 | GM | Kovchan Alexander | 2591 | UKR |
| 27 | GM | Potkin Vladimir | 2591 | RUS |
| 28 | GM | Parligras Mircea-Emilian | 2586 | ROU |
| 29 | GM | Iordachescu Viorel | 2583 | MDA |
| 30 | GM | Sumets Andrey | 2583 | UKR |
| 31 | GM | Kulaots Kaido | 2575 | EST |
| 32 | GM | Wagner Dennis | 2575 | GER |
| 33 | GM | Paichadze Luka | 2568 | GEO |
| 34 | GM | Vaibhav Suri | 2561 | IND |
| 35 | IM | Ghosh Diptayan | 2550 | IND |
| 36 | GM | Bajarani Ulvi | 2546 | AZE |
| 37 | GM | Mirzoev Azer | 2539 | AZE |
| 38 | GM | Gopal G.N. | 2536 | IND |
| 39 | GM | Ehlvest Jaan | 2535 | USA |
| 40 | GM | Halkias Stelios | 2534 | GRE |
| 41 | GM | Malakhatko Vadim | 2527 | BEL |
| 42 | GM | Libiszewski Fabien | 2523 | FRA |
| 43 | GM | Pavlidis Antonios | 2522 | GRE |
| 44 | GM | Arun Prasad S. | 2520 | IND |
| 45 | GM | Zeng Chongsheng | 2517 | CHN |
| 46 | GM | Kveinys Aloyzas | 2511 | LTU |
| 47 | GM | Kanep Meelis | 2508 | EST |
| 48 | GM | Vishnu Prasanna. V | 2503 | IND |
| 49 | GM | Debashis Das | 2501 | IND |
| 50 | GM | Riff Jean-Noel | 2499 | FRA |
| 51 | GM | Hayrapetyan Hovik | 2489 | ARM |
| 52 | IM | Petrosyan Tigran S. | 2469 | ARM |
| 53 | GM | Ankit R. Rajpara | 2467 | IND |
| 54 | GM | Babujian Levon | 2465 | ARM |
| 55 | IM | Harutyunian Tigran K. | 2459 | ARM |
| 56 | GM | Mammadov Zaur | 2458 | AZE |
| 57 | IM | Petrosyan Manuel | 2452 | ARM |
| 58 | IM | Baghdasaryan Vahe | 2439 | ARM |
| 59 | GM | Bakre Tejas | 2438 | IND |
| 60 | IM | Khurtsidze Nino | 2426 | GEO |
| 61 | IM | Ladva Ottomar | 2423 | EST |
| 62 | IM | Das Sayantan | 2411 | IND |
| 63 | Mu Ke | 2404 | CHN | |
| 64 | IM | Prathamesh Sunil Mokal | 2393 | IND |
| 65 | IM | L'ami Alina | 2369 | ROU |
| 66 | FM | Kokol Peter | 2363 | SLO |
| 67 | WGM | Mammadzada Gunay | 2342 | AZE |
| 68 | IM | Zozulia Anna | 2335 | BEL |
| 69 | IM | Morchiashvili Bachana | 2331 | GEO |
| 70 | WGM | Abdulla Khayala | 2320 | AZE |
| 71 | Ashwath R. | 2253 | IND | |
| 72 | WCM | Mammadova Narmin | 2223 | AZE |
| 73 | WGM | Gutsko Anastasia | 2219 | UKR |
| 74 | Aradhya Garg | 2180 | IND | |
| 75 | Danielyan Vahe | 2151 | ARM | |
| 76 | WIM | Nandhidhaa Pv | 2102 | IND |
| 77 | WIM | Guo Emma | 2050 | AUS |
| 78 | Ghazaryan Narine | 1936 | ARM | |
| 79 | Asgharzadeh Mitra | 1916 | IRI | |
| 80 | Musallam Salim Al Aamri | 1888 | OMA | |
| 81 | FM | Mayed Alrashedi | 1877 | UAE |
| 82 | Yagoubi Hassen | 1715 | TUN | |
| 83 | Ahmad M Saleh Alzarouni | 1668 | UAE | |
| 84 | Nanyan Georgy | 1583 | ARM | |
| 85 | Zakaryan Suren | 1469 | ARM | |
| 86 | Hareb Nasser Hareb Alshamsi | 1458 | UAE | |
| 87 | Abdulla M Hamed Alneyadi | 1387 | UAE | |
| 88 | Sultan Fadel Saeed Alshamsi | 1363 | UAE |
Let us have a look at the graphical representation of the entries, Federation wise.
Armenia (15) has so far the highest number of participants for the Al Ain Classic 2015, followed by India (13) and Ukraine (13). Players from twenty-six countries have already registered.
Under the watchful eyes of Chief Arbiter Ashot Var and Tournament Director/International
Organizer Tarek Al Taher the event is likely to be a smooth and pleasant experience
It is always ideal for the players to stay and play in the same place. Better the conditions, higher is the quality of play. The tournament organizers have persisted with the wonderful hotel Hili Raayhan by Rotana for this event.
The five star Hotel Hili Raayhan by Rotana Al-Ain is the venue for the tournament. According to the participants of the previous edition of the Classic, the food and hospitality of this hotel is something to really look forward to!
There are many places to see in Al Ain. My favourite is the winding road
of the second tallest mountain in the United Arab Emirates, Jebel Hafeet!
Most of the pictures above were taken by Amruta Mokal (sister of the author of this article), while some of them are from the Al Ain tournament officials.
Information about the schedule, prizes, entry fees and other details of the tournament can be found in previous invitation report here: Al Ain Classic in December 2015. Here the main points:
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