Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Cup R1-3: Nihal makes an incredible queen sacrifice

by Shahid Ahmed - 07/12/2021

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.

Top seed Nodirbek Abdusattorov is back at the top | Photo: Patricia Claros Aguilar

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.

Position after 32...Rc6

Can you find out the brilliant finish which Nihal did in the game after 32...Rc6 ?

Nihal Sarin's beautiful queen sacrifice against Loek van Wely | Video: ChessBase India

Nihal in action against Loek van Wely | Photo: Eric Rosen/FIDE

Nihal drew his second and third round games against Gabriel Sargissian (ARM) and Georg Meier (URU) respectively.

Nihal Sarin - Georg Meier (URU): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Eric Rosen/FIDE

A glimpse of the playing arena | Photo: Eric Rosen/FIDE

IM Irene Kharisma Sukandra (INA) won UAE 50th National Day Rapid Chess Tournament 2021 on 2nd December | Photo: Eric Rosen/FIDE

Interview with Nihal Sarin, a day before the tournament | Video: ChessBase India

Irene Sukandar becomes the 1st woman ever to win a tournament at the Dubai Chess Club | Video: ChessBase India

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

Details

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