Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Cup R1-3: Nihal makes an incredible queen sacrifice
The last time Nihal Sarin played a tournament which took place at the same venue as the world championship was back in 2013 when he won the National Under-9 Boys with an unbeaten score of 9.0/11. The uber strong Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Cup, an invitational Rapid and Blitz Rating tournament for players above 2600+ male and 2450+ female, witnesses the participation of 24 players including 22 GMs and 2 IMs across 22 nations. The tournament average rating is 2547. Total prize fund - US$ 30000, first prize in Rapid - US$ 6000 and first prize in Blitz - US$ 2000. Top Russian and third seed of the tournament, Vladimir Fedoseev leads with a perfect 3.0/3. Photo: Eric Rosen/FIDE
Nihal starts unbeaten
Nihal won the first game against Loek van Wely (NED). Then he drew the next two games against Gabriel Sargissian (ARM) and Georg Meier (URU) respectively. He will face former world junior champion, Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) in Round 4 today. Nihal had a 1-1 score at the last month's Tata Steel Chess India 2021 Blitz, he would definitely like to improve his Rapid score against him.
Round 1: Nihal - Loek van Wely: 1-0
Nihal Sarin started his tournament with an incredible win over Netherland's legendary GM and Dutch Senate, Loek van Wely.
Can you find out the brilliant finish which Nihal did in the game after 32...Rc6 ?
Nihal drew his second and third round games against Gabriel Sargissian (ARM) and Georg Meier (URU) respectively.
Replay Round 1-3 games
The tournament is taking place at Expo 2020 Dubai, Dubai Exhibition Center, Dubai in UAE from 6th to 8th December 2021. Every day, three rounds of Rapid games will be played. Time control is 15 minutes + 10 seconds increment per move starting from move 1.
Round 3 results
| Bo. | No. | Name | Rtg | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
| 1 | 3 | GM | Fedoseev Vladimir | 2692 | 2 | 1 - 0 | 1½ | GM | Sargissian Gabriel | 2693 | 2 |
| 2 | 18 | GM | Nihal Sarin | 2500 | 1½ | ½ - ½ | 1½ | GM | Meier Georg | 2656 | 4 |
| 3 | 5 | GM | Kovalev Vladislav | 2647 | 1½ | 1 - 0 | 1½ | GM | Jumabayev Rinat | 2562 | 12 |
| 4 | 9 | GM | Erdos Viktor | 2601 | 1½ | 1 - 0 | 1½ | GM | Abdumalik Zhansaya | 2449 | 19 |
| 5 | 20 | GM | Santos Ruiz Miguel | 2440 | 1½ | 1 - 0 | 1 | GM | Ivanisevic Ivan | 2593 | 10 |
| 6 | 1 | GM | Salem A.R. Saleh | 2729 | 1 | 0 - 1 | 1 | GM | Maghsoodloo Parham | 2512 | 17 |
| 7 | 16 | GM | Pichot Alan | 2523 | 1 | 1 - 0 | 1 | GM | Amin Bassem | 2614 | 8 |
| 8 | 11 | GM | Mchedlishvili Mikheil | 2589 | 1 | ½ - ½ | 1 | GM | Kadric Denis | 2542 | 15 |
| 9 | 14 | GM | Fridman Daniel | 2542 | 1 | 0 - 1 | 1 | GM | Niemann Hans Moke | 2327 | 23 |
| 10 | 7 | GM | Iordachescu Viorel | 2623 | ½ | 0 - 1 | ½ | GM | Socko Bartosz | 2562 | 13 |
| 11 | 22 | IM | Sukandar Irine Kharisma | 2381 | 0 | ½ - ½ | 0 | GM | Van Wely Loek | 2635 | 6 |
| 12 | 24 | IM | Saeed Ishaq | 2309 | 0 | 0 - 1 | 0 | GM | Bellahcene Bilel | 2397 | 21 |
Round 4 pairings
| Bo. | No. | Name | Rtg | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
| 1 | 5 | GM | Kovalev Vladislav | 2647 | 2½ | 3 | GM | Fedoseev Vladimir | 2692 | 3 | |
| 2 | 20 | GM | Santos Ruiz Miguel | 2440 | 2½ | 2½ | GM | Erdos Viktor | 2601 | 9 | |
| 3 | 23 | GM | Niemann Hans Moke | 2327 | 2 | 2 | GM | Pichot Alan | 2523 | 16 | |
| 4 | 17 | GM | Maghsoodloo Parham | 2512 | 2 | 2 | GM | Nihal Sarin | 2500 | 18 | |
| 5 | 4 | GM | Meier Georg | 2656 | 2 | 1½ | GM | Mchedlishvili Mikheil | 2589 | 11 | |
| 6 | 2 | GM | Sargissian Gabriel | 2693 | 1½ | 1½ | GM | Socko Bartosz | 2562 | 13 | |
| 7 | 12 | GM | Jumabayev Rinat | 2562 | 1½ | 1½ | GM | Abdumalik Zhansaya | 2449 | 19 | |
| 8 | 15 | GM | Kadric Denis | 2542 | 1½ | 1 | GM | Amin Bassem | 2614 | 8 | |
| 9 | 21 | GM | Bellahcene Bilel | 2397 | 1 | 1 | GM | Salem A.R. Saleh | 2729 | 1 | |
| 10 | 10 | GM | Ivanisevic Ivan | 2593 | 1 | 1 | GM | Fridman Daniel | 2542 | 14 | |
| 11 | 6 | GM | Van Wely Loek | 2635 | ½ | ½ | GM | Iordachescu Viorel | 2623 | 7 | |
| 12 | 24 | IM | Saeed Ishaq | 2309 | 0 | ½ | IM | Sukandar Irine Kharisma | 2381 | 22 |
